Our Not So Simple Life
by theedragonslayer
Summary: 5/10/13 UNDER REVISION, up to Interlude 4 revised: Everyone in the Baker family has their problems. Some are bigger then others. Some are life threatening. Some could be solved so easily. But all are kept secert from everyone else. After all nobody wants to ruin their 'big happy family' act.
1. Prolouge

Our Not So Simple Life

By Music Writes

Summary- There's never a peaceful moment in the Baker household.

Warnings- Drugs, drinking, swearing, self abuse, mentions of sex, and homosexuality. If you don't like it don't read it. May not be appropriate for all readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Prologue

It's been three years since the Baker family's' fateful vacation to Lake Winnetka. And trust me a lot has happened since then. Let's start with the oldest of the Baker children, Nora.

Nora and Bud are still living in Huston and now have three children. Their oldest is Tom at age three, and then the twins Judith and Henrietta at age one and a half. Nora just turned twenty-six and Bud is twenty-seven. Bud is still Vice President of his company and Nora is a stay at home mom. They don't plan on having any more children.

Charlie still lives up by the lake and his garage is becoming very successful. About three months after the vacation he finally worked up enough courage to ask Anne out. She lives about three streets away from him and has graduated from Madison. They are both twenty-three and going strong.

Loraine lives in a ratty apartment building in lower eastside New York City. She still works for Allure magazine. She is just now turning twenty-one. Her life gets more interesting by the minute, or so she tells her family.

Henry is now a senior and is eighteen years old. He plans on becoming a professional musician. While waiting to know if he's gotten into collage (and in fact questioning if he wants to go at all) he has decided to learn another instrument. He has enlisted the help of a friend's friend to help him learn how to play the saxophone. Although rest assured he is still very fond of the clarinet.

Sarah is sixteen (but only for a few more weeks) and has just learned how to drive. As a junior in high school she is currently planning to try out for the hockey team. The only problem is there are no girls on the team. Eliot and her still talk occasionally but there is no romantic interest left.

Jake just turned sixteen and like Sarah is enjoying the perks of driving. He is a sophomore in high school and unbeknownst to the rest of his family he is planning to try out for the school's musical _Wicked._ While he is dreadfully nervous and hopes he gets a part he refuses to mention it to his family in fear that they would lose respect for him and that his tough guy image would be broken. He also doesn't want his friends to find out.

Mark is fifteen and a freshman in high school. While his family is nice to him as they've been since the run away incident, he wants something more. So he dips into the scene of partying and has become subdued around his family and lost all of his old friends. But he doesn't care as he now has new friends: marijuana, cigarettes, and alcohol.

Jessica is fourteen and also a freshman as her and her twin skipped a grade. She is still as smart and annoyingly brassy as usual. Not usual however is her and her twins sudden fighting. They fight over everything but mostly Jessica's new best friend Claudia. A girl most would politely refer to as loose.

Kim is also fourteen and a freshman. She doesn't agree with Jessica's choice of a friend, she's afraid that she'll turn out like her. Kim is also growing increasingly jealous of Jessica as she is getting better grades than before and Kim is for the first time ever struggling. However she has found away to take all the pain away with a simple razor.

Mike is now twelve years old and in the seventh grade. He always has struggled with grades but its worse this year. His teachers have even told his parents if he doesn't start getting better grades he may have to repeat the grade.

Kyle is ten and in the fifth grade. For the first time ever he has to deal with a bully. And things aren't exactly working out.

Nigel is ten and in the fifth grade. He and his twin aren't even in the same class anymore. However he has something else to look forward to. He now has his first crush.

Tom is still coaching and Kate is working on a new book. They still live in Midland in a large house, only to them it feels suffocatingly small. At ages forty-nine and fifty they are both beginning to feel old. And sometimes that can lead to bad things like a midlife crisis.

But through it all the family stays close. They don't mention their problems. This way they can all pretend to be a big happy family.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A Day in the Life

"All right, wake up!" Kate yelled as she walked down the hallway banging on all the closed doors.

The last door on the far right opened and a groggy Mike stepped out of the room he shared with Mark.

"Do I hafta go to school today Mom?" he asked rubbing his hand across his brown eyes sleepily.

"Are you feeling okay?" She asked placing her hand on his forehead.

"Yeah, I just don't wanna go." He said looking up at her through his dirty blonde hair.

Kate sighed and removed her hand. "Sorry sweetie you can't afford to miss anymore school. Go get dressed and wake up your brother." With that she turned around and began to walk downstairs.

Once he was sure she was out of hearing range Mike whispered. "Easy for you to say. That's like trying to wake the dead." With a sigh he turned back into his room and shut the door with a _snap._

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Sarah sat up and let out a soft "Ouch!" when her head collided with the top bunk above her. Swinging her legs out from the warmth of her blue covers and into the frigid November air she shivered. As she stood up she reached above her and pulled the blankets off of a sleeping Kim whose hazel eyes snapped open at the sudden rush of cold air.

"What time is it?" she asked in a croaky voice while rising herself up onto her elbows.

Sarah looked at the clock on the cluttered bedside table besides her. "Six-fifty three." She said as she leaned over to shake Jessica awake.

"Huh?" Jessica asked as she sat up.

"Get up. We gotta get ready." Sarah said as she headed over to the closet to get dressed. As a rule all the Baker girls showered at night and the boys showered in the morning. Even though there were more boys they still finished before the girls did. Tom said it was because girls always take longer to get ready then boys do. Unfortunately none of them could disagree.

"Toss me some clothes will you?" Kim asked as she messily made her bed. Sarah obliged and tossed her a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. "Uh can you get me a long sleeved shirt to? It's been cold lately." Kim asked jumping down.

"That's true. Here ya go." Sarah said tossing her a white thermal shirt.

"Thanks." With that Kim bundled the clothes into her arms and headed towards the bathroom.

"We're not supposed to change in the bathroom." Jessica said as she looked up from making her bed. Kim simply ignored her and shut the bedroom door behind her.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel sat on the floor next to his unmade bed tying his left shoe. His twin was currently in the middle of pulling his dinosaur shirt over his head.

"I got a history test today." Kyle complained once his shirt was in place.

Nigel simply grunted as he began to tie his right shoe.

"You're lucky." His twin went on. "Your teacher never gives you guys' tests. I have one every week!"

Nigel simply shrugged his shoulders as he stood up.

"You okay?" Kyle asked noticing something was wrong.

Nigel smiled. "I just need more sleep."

His twin nodded and they both headed out the door to race down to breakfast.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You awake dude?" Jake asked as he walked back in to the bedroom after his shower. Henry was still just a lump under his covers.

"Yeah." Came the slightly muffled reply.

"Then why are you still in bed?" Jake asked pulling a black shirt over his head.

"Dunno."

"Well get up then. We need to leave soon." He said rolling his eyes.

With a sigh Henry got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom grabbing clothes on his way out.

"You're strangely perky this morning. It's weird." Henry said before he shut the door.

Jake shrugged to the empty room and shoved a battered book into his black backpack. The title read _Wicked the Musical._ He zipped his bag shut and slung it over his shoulder as he headed out the door, grabbing his black shoes as he went.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Wake up. Come on man. Freaking wake UP!" Mike yelled shaking his brother's shoulder.

"Huh? What?" Mark asked sitting up and grabbing his glasses.

"We gotta go." Mike said turning away to put his shoes on.

"Damn it man. I was having a really good dream." His brother complained getting up.

"What was it about?" Mike asked looking up from putting on his sock.

"Can't remember." Mark said shaking the hair out of eyes.

"Then how do you know it was good?" Mike asked grabbing his jacket and book bag.

"Better than this." His brother replied grabbing some clothes and heading out of the room.

Mike simply watched his brother leave with curious eyes.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I'm gonna be home late tonight Mom." Sarah said between bites of eggs.

"Yeah me too." Jake said before taking a sip of juice.

"Okay. Where are you guys going?" Kate asked as she tossed toast to her kids.

"I know Sarah goings to hockey tryouts. She's gonna be first string I bet." Tom said smiling down the table at his daughter. She blushed and looked away.

"Where are you going Jake?" Kate asked as she tossed toast to Kim.

"Gotta make up a test." He lied.

"When did you miss a test?" Tom asked looking away from Gunner who was trying to get table scraps.

"Bout a week ago. This was the soonest time I could make it up." Jake said with a shrug.

His parents nodded and the subject was dropped until…

"How will you get home?" Kate said as she finally put down the toast plate.

"I have to stay after too. I'll give them a ride." Henry said looking up from his breakfast.

Kate nodded and finally turned towards her food. After a few minutes of random conversation Henry stood up.

"I'm leaving now. Whoever wants a ride lets go." He said as he headed towards the door.

Jake, Sarah and Kim all got up and grabbed their bags. Henry looked back at Mark and Jessica.

"You guys don't need a ride?" he asked as the others walked out towards his beat up station wagon.

Mark stood up. "I'm gonna walk." He said heading out.

"Claudia's giving me a ride." Jessica said just a honk was heard. "That'll be her now!" she said standing up.

"Aren't you going to get cold dressed like that?" Tom asked his daughter. She looked down at her outfit of heels, a pink miniskirt and a pink tank top.

"Nope." She said with a shrug walking outside to the pink convertible were she jumped into the passenger side. A girl with blonde hair dressed almost the same as Jessica was driving.

"I really don't like that girl." Kate said getting up to give the younger kids a ride.

"Honey she's your daughter!" Tom cried.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Not her. I meant Claudia."

"Oh. Yeah me to." Tom said watching as the car sped off.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Meet me here at five and I'll give you guys a ride home." Henry said as he pulled up to the school.

"Got it dude." Jake said hopping out of the car followed by his sisters. Just as they were walking in Claudia and Jessica peeled into the parking lot narrowly missing hitting Mark who was walking with a kid who was decked out in black.

"Who is that guy?" Sarah asked.

"That's Dodge Renders. He's a pot head." Kim said as she walked inside the school.

"Great." Henry said shaking his head and following his siblings inside.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel sat down at his desk quietly. Fourth row from the left, fifth seat back. Even though he was far from the board and it sometimes affected his seeing the problems he didn't complain or ask to be moved. Because in front of him sat Caroline Schmitt.

She was taller than he was but so were most girls as he hadn't reached his growth spurt yet. Her eyes were the bluest blue you'd ever see and her hair was long and straight as a pin. It was the color of straw and looked so soft he often had to sit on his hands so he wouldn't reach out and touch it.

But the thing he liked most about her was her laugh. It was bright and sunny and full of cheer. Everything in the world seemed right when she laughed. Nigel made her laugh once. He'd been telling a joke to the guy to the right of him and she had over heard him. It was a pretty stupid joke. One he'd heard Henry telling Jake. He hadn't thought it was funny until she laughed. Now it was the funniest thing in the world.

His eyes snapped to the front where the teacher, Mr. Winches was talking to the class about the upcoming field trip to the science museum on Friday. Nigel didn't like science much but if it gave him more time with Caroline he would go.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kyle sat on a bench outside his classroom during lunch happily eating a cookie. Just as he was about to bite it, it was gone from his hand.

"Thanks wuss." A voice said from behind him.

Clerk Rowds was standing behind him shoving the cookie into his mouth. Clerk wasn't the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He had dark curly hair and mean big eyes. He was way taller than most ten year olds. Even some eleven year olds. He had big muscles and looked like he could crush you with his finger.

Not someone you should argue with.

"Welcome." Kyle muttered.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Now Mike we've talked about this before." Miss Sanders was staring at Mike with a disappointed look in her brown eyes.

"But I studied this time. I did!" he said angrily.

"But you got over half of the questions wrong." She said wearily, pinching the bridge of her nose in hopes of warding off her blooming headache.

They'd had this conversation ten times this year. He would fail a test and get sent to the counselor. He would claim he had studied but the grades never improved.

"I just don't do well on tests. I studied! You have to believe me!" Mike was getting upset now, his voice starting to rise.

A sigh made its way past Miss Sanders's lips.

"Tell you what." She said standing up and walking around to the front of her desk. "I'll try to convince your teacher to let you retake the test. Study harder this time. I want to see an improvement."

"I will Miss Sanders. I promise!" he said jumping up and running out the door to enjoy the rest of his lunch period.

"You better." She muttered sinking back onto her desk.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Psst. Hey Jessica." A soft voice behind the red head whispered.

She turned her head to the side.

Dean Phillips was looking at her with a smile on his face.

Dean was the kind of boy girls fawned over. He had the perfect skin, the perfect blue eyes, the perfect blonde hair, and the perfect body. He was even smart enough to get himself into her pre-calc class where they now sat.

"What?" she whispered nervously.

"I don't understand this stuff very much. Can you help me sometime?" he asked making puppy eyes.

"Sure." She said nodding.

"Great! How about my place after school on Friday?" he turned his puppy eyes into a wide grin.

"Sure." Jessica said again. Then thinking she sounded stupid she added. "That sounds great."

"Awesome. See you then."

"Yeah see you then." She repeated turning back around and smiling happily.

She now had a date (who cared if it was just a study date?) with Dean Phillips in three days. "Wait until Claudia hears about this." She whispered to herself.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Pencils down everyone." The teacher, Mrs. Yankons, said to her AP chemistry class.

Kim groaned and passed her test up with everyone else. There had been twenty-five questions on the test each one worth four points. All together it would be one hundred points total. This test affected five percent of their final grade.

"That test was way too easy. A fourth grader could have passed it." The girl who sat in front of Kim whispered to her friend. This was the girl that last week said gold was an important element because it made the best jewelry that matches her hair.

A test easy enough for a fourth grader to pass.

Twenty-five questions.

Four points each.

Worth five percent of her final grade.

Easy enough for a fourth grader to pass.

Kim was the only freshman in this class besides her sister. Jessica sat across the room and Kim could hear her whispering to her friend Simone about how 'this class is so easy. I already know half of this stuff. I mean I finished the test in like six minutes!'

Twenty-five questions.

Four points each.

Easy enough for a fourth grader to pass.

Easy enough to finish in six minutes.

Five percent of her final grade.

Twenty-five questions.

She'd finished three.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Quincy Arvens works in the Starbucks on the corner of 8th and 31st. He works every day Wednesday through Sunday from four am to ten am. Loraine Baker knows this because she's at the Starbucks on the corner of 8th and 31st every day Wednesday through Sunday from four am to eight am.

She was drinking her fourth cup of coffee, double mocha latte Grande size, and eating an almond biscotti when it happened. He looked over and smiled at her.

Now normally Loraine Baker would not be shy around guys. Normally she would just walk up and ask him out. But she couldn't do that with him. No, because Quincy Arvens was gay. Well bisexual. But that didn't stop her from pinning after him.

But who could blame her really? What with his dark eyes, his olive skin, his dark hair that flopped into his eyes all the time, and the air of mystery that surrounded him. Or maybe it was the fact that it looked like he was in love with whoever he smiled at.

So when he smiled at her she froze. She was sure there was no way he was smiling at her. But just to be on the safe side she smiled back.

But he was no longer looking at her. Instead he was watching the blonde muscle guy walking inside.

Loraine's smile melted off of her face and she looked down at the work she had spread out in front of her. She was the fashion designer for Allure and after all she needed something to do besides drink coffee as she sat around here for six hours.

"At least I know he likes blondes." She whispered.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora's head hung over the side of the toilet as the rest of her lunch came up. Finally finished she leaned back on her heels and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Mummy! Judy stinks real bad!" Tom's yelling woke her up from her thoughts and she sighed getting up and flushing her bile down the drain.

"I'm coming sweetheart!" she yelled walking into the playroom.

The last time she'd gotten that sick from just eating was when she was pregnant.

"That's stupid." She whispered. That was not what she needed to think about right now.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Charlie sat on his desk chair staring at the diamond ring in front of him. He'd bought it this morning. He was going to ask her tonight. Than she'd told him that she was moving back in with her parents for a while.

He'd lost his courage.

She said it'd only be a few weeks but he thought it would be an eternity.

Sighing he snapped the ring box shut and shoved it under some papers. Turning around he stood up and walked outside to light up a cigarette. It was a habit he hated but it was a habit none the less.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Quit hogging the bottle man." Mark said grabbing the brown glass out of the hands of his friend.

Dodge rolled his eyes and pulled his black beanie lower over his eyes where his pupils were barely pin pricks.

"Bad day?" he asked sarcastically.

"What day isn't?" was the sarcastic reply.

"That's true." Dodge said leaning his head back against the tree.

They sat outside in a far corner of a park passing a bottle of rum and a joint between them. It was after school but neither was in a hurry to get home.

"Life sucks." Mark muttered handing the bottle back to Dodge and taking the joint instead.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"So I was thinking we put you on the baritone. Alto's to small and tenor just isn't deep enough. But the bari. That has it all." Pip Conmeu was a pale kid with dark brown hair and big green eyes. He had really thin eyebrows and full lips. He was the kind of person who was always happy and really chatty.

He was wearing tight jeans and a gray sweater. Henry was following him looking nervous.

"Whatever you say." He said with a shrug.

"Perfect! Now here it is!" he said pulling a large brown case out of a cupboard.

"Erm is it _big_ enough?" Henry asked surprised for the case when stood on its end still reached his waist.

Pip simply laughed and opened the case. "I know! Isn't it great!"

Inside laid a large saxophone with a few dents impairing the shining golden metal.

Pip pulled out a piece of black cloth and hung it around Henry's neck.

"What're you…" Henry started put Pip silenced him.

"This is your neck strap. It'll support most of the weight." He explained.

"Okay." Henry said and staring down at the instrument by his feet he realized he was going to need the strap.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hockey is no place for girls." Coach Ciffe said the moment he saw Sarah out on the ice.

"But I'm good!" she protested.

"Yeah maybe against other girls. But not against six foot five three hundred pound guys. Get off my ice. I don't got time for this." He ordered.

"But…" she started to protest.

"Now!" he barked.

She skated off glumly but turned around before she stepped off the ice.

"Why can't I just tryout?" she asked.

"Why don't you go ask the school board why we don't have girls team?" he asked pointing towards the door.

"Fine I will!" with that she took off her skates and gear and stormed out the rink into the cold air, anger keeping her nice and warm.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Alright…Jake...Selene I want you to sing the song _As Long as Your Mine_ starting at the beginning." Miss Fitzersion, or Fits as her students referred to her, said from her chair in front of the stage.

Jake and a girl, obviously Selene, headed towards the stage.

She was about a head shorter then Jake and was a total bone rack. Her long hair was black and wavy and her eyes were a misty blue. She smiled at him when they stopped in center stage and he noticed she had a dimple in her left cheek. He smiled back and then flipped to the page in his book. She did the same.

As the music started she started to sing "_Kiss Me too fiercely Hold me too tight I need help believing You're with me tonight My wildest dreams Could not foresee Lying beside you With you wanting me And just for this moment As long as you're mine I've lot all resistance And crossed some borderline And if it turns out It's over too fast I'll make every last moment last As long as you're mine"_

Jake stared at her in slight awe. She had a voice on her. Then realizing it was his time to sing he looked at the song book in his hands. _"Maybe I'm brainless Maybe I'm wise But you've got me seeing Though different eyes Somehow I've fallen Under your spell And somehow I'm feeling It's up that I fell"_

They finished the song and then headed off stage.

"Well that concludes our auditions." Fits said standing up. "The cast list will be posted tomorrow morning on the notice board on my door. Thanks for auditioning and have a nice night." She said gathering her stuff together.

Jake grabbed his bag and was walking outside when he noticed her walking behind him. He slowed so she was walking with him.

"Think you'll get a part?" Selene asked lengthening her stride to match his.

"Maybe." He said uncertainly.

"Have more faith in yourself. You're supposed to say yes." She said smiling.

He stopped under one of the parking lot lights. "Do you think you'll get a part?" he asked.

She laughed. "Duh."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

That night when the family was sitting around the table at dinner Kate looked up.

"So anything interesting happen at school today?" she asked with a smile.

She was greeted by a chorus of "no's".


	3. Interlude 1

Interlude One

Kate sighed and ran a hand through her graying hair tucking it behind her ears. She stared at the blank sheet of paper before her and shifted her grip on her pencil in the hopes that it would inspire words to start flowing out of her hand and onto the empty page.

With a groan of frustration Kate flung the pencil down and buried her face in her hands. "Hopeless." She muttered angrily into her palms. "Simply, utterly, _stupidly hopeless._"

Tom looked up from revising his game plans to look at his wife in amusement. "Nothing hopeless sweetheart." he ducked as she threw her pencil in his direction.

"This is!" she groaned again and rose from her chair, stretching her hands above her head to ease the tension in her back. Sighing tiredly she crawled up onto the bed to stretch out next to her husband. Tom placed his game plan and pen on the table beside the bed and wrapped his arms around his complaining wife.

"What's the matter?" he asked, smoothing her hair off her forehead. Kate wrapped her arms around his middle and snuggled closer to him.

"This new book. I have absolutely no idea what to write about." Her brows crinkled in worry and frustration, a small wrinkle forming between them. Tom reached over to smooth the wrinkle and then tangled his fingers into her hair.

"Hmm…we have twelve kids but you can't come up with a single idea of what to write about? Well that's totally understandable. It's not as if they do some crazy thing every single day that would provide to be good ammunition for a bo-. Hey!" Tom cried out in faked indignation as his wife lightly slapped his chest and rolled her blue eyes.

"I don't want to embarrass the kids by putting their worst moments into print. Besides I want this book to be something heartfelt and touching, not something you turn to for a quick laugh." She explained staring off whimsically into the distant.

Tom leaned back into the bed pillows and thought it over. "Well you could definitely find some touching moments from the kids. What about the time Mike gave Sarah his shirt to use as a Band-Aid when she torn her arm up at the skate park?" He suggested referring to a time two years ago when Sarah had taken a bad fall off her skateboard and ripped her arm up on the concrete. Mike had taken his shirt off and wound it around her arm while they waited for Jake to run and get Tom and Kate. Sarah had ended up needing ten stitches and Mike ended up needing a new shirt but the doctors said she didn't lose nearly as much blood as was to be expected of a cut that size because of Mike's quick thinking.

Kate paused and mulled the memory over in her head."That's not a bad idea." She mumbled tapping a finger against her lips thoughtfully.

"Or what about the time Charlie carried Loraine home on his back six blocks when she twisted her ankle?" This incident was about five years ago in Charlie's last year of high school. Walking home from a football game Loraine had caught her foot in a pothole she didn't see in the dark. Instead of making her hobble or going to get help the oldest Baker had simply carried his sister home on his back.

"That's a good one." Kate muttered clearly already writing out the stories in her head.

"Or when Mike accidently set Kim's hair on fire so Nigel pushed her into the kiddie pool?"

Kate and Tom both paused for a moment. "Maybe not that one." Kate said lightly and Tom grinned at her sheepishly.

And so the night passed with the Baker parents rehashing old memories of their twelve children, both good memories and bad. From the time when Nora and Charlie decided to dye Loraine's hair pink when she was two (the pictures of this incident were ceremoniously burned by Loraine when she was thirteen) to the time Kyle and Nigel got lost in the woods playing tag and everyone went out looking for them to the time Henry and Mike decided to wake everyone in the house up at five in the morning by making as much noise as possible. They talked about the time Mark decided to bring home a wild frog (which Gunner ate but they told the kids ran away) to the time Jessica won the fifth grade spelling bee with the word 'associates'.

They talked about the time Jake and Sarah thought they could break a speed of fifty miles an hour on their skateboards (a feat that resulted in thirty-six stitches, a sprained knee and a broken wrist) and the time Kim accidently super glued Mike's eyes shut.

As the rest of the Baker household fell silently into slumber Tom and Kate lay surrounded by each other's warmth and the fond, and not so fond, memories of their children. They didn't talk about the hidden worries they harbored for their children of today, Jessica's new best friend and Mark's standoffishness. They pushed away all of the problems that they could sense coming and instead focused on the old memories of their children, using the darkness and each other to pretend everything was simply going to be okay.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Wishing on a Star

It was Friday morning in the Baker household and as per usual it was chaos. But as Fridays always were, it was even more hectic than usual. Not usual however was the screaming coming from Jessica, Sarah, and Kim's room.

"He's a total player Jess! You can't possibly go out with him!" Kim was yelling, on the verge of tearing her hair out.

"You're just jealous." Jessica said calmly, crossing her freckled arms over her scantily clad chest.

Kim stared at her twin opened mouthed for a moment before retaliating. "Of what? That I'm not about to be used?"

"Say whatever you want Kimmie. We both know we're having this fight because you're jealous that I can get guys and you can't." With that said Jessica turned and flaunted out the room and down the stairs to wait for Claudia.

"Well…that was harsh." Sarah said from her bed where she'd been sitting the whole fight.

"I wish I wasn't a twin." Kim said before grabbing her bag and walking out of the room.

"That was pretty harsh too." Sarah said before following the feuding twins.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora sat on the closed toilet lid staring anxiously at the plastic stick in front of her trying to determine whether to look at it or not.

"I wish for it to be blue. Please be blue. Please please _please_ be blue." Nora whispered to herself before reaching over and carefully picking it up.

She raised it to eye level and stared at it for a few heart stopping seconds.

"Oh thank God." She sighed upon seeing the clear blue stick. With that she threw it into the trashcan along with the box it came in. In her rush to get this whole thing over with and behind her she didn't read the fine print on the box that said '_99 percent accurate_.'

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Loraine sat at her desk in her cubicle at Allure magazine absentmindedly doodling on a note pad.

"Whose Quincy?" her familiar coworker's voice asked from behind her.

Lorraine jumped knocking the notepad to the carpeted floor.

"Oh hi Grace." She said bending down to pick up the notebook and flipping it closed.

"Don't you 'hi Grace' me. Whose this Quincy guy that you have lowered yourself to writing his name in a notebook for?" Grace asked sitting herself on Loraine's desk.

"Nobody. He's just nobody." Loraine said very quickly. She sighed. She herself wouldn't have believed that so there was no way in hell Grace would.

"Yeah and I'm Mary Queen of Scotts. Come on Lori. Who is he?" Grace asked leaning forward like a gossipy teenager.

Loraine actually found that most of the people who worked at the magazine acted like they were in middle school. There were more catfights, rumors, and back stabbing in the fashion industry than anywhere else in the world.

"He's just a guy." Loraine said with a shrug.

"Just a guy? _Just_ a guy? You wrote his name in your notebook for Christ's sake Loraine! Who is he?" Grace whispered leaning, if possible, even closer.

"It doesn't matter." Loraine said with a shrug.

"Oh my gosh, is he a new flame?" Grace asked jumping off the desk to kneel by Loraine's side like an excited twelve year old.

Loraine looked out at the cubicle across from her and sighed. "I wish."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sat nervously in his science teacher's room during lunch. He had to make up yet another test. He had stayed up for three hours studying for this. Kim could even vouch for him as she sat there quizzing him.

"Now Mike you have twenty minutes to finish this test. And I'm sorry but I can't give you any more make ups." His teacher Mr. Flecther said in a gravely voice.

Mike nodded and looked down at his test.

_What are the seven steps of the scientific method?_

Mike paused.

What the heck was the scientific method?

He didn't remember going over that with Kim. He looked over the rest of the test. He didn't understand any of the questions. With a sigh he began to do his usual guess work as he set up for another fail.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"But why don't we have a girls' hockey team!" Sarah angrily asked the coach of all the girls' sports, Coach Tamers.

"Because I hate to say it but not very many girls would try out for it." The coach said with a sigh.

"But I would!" Sarah protested furiously.

"Yes but there is more than one person on a hockey team!" the coach said turning around to look at her.

"What if I could get enough girls to make a team?" Sarah asked thoughtfully.

"Well I'd have to run it by the school board first. And even if they did say yes, which they probably wouldn't, we'd have no money for funding. You girls would have to fundraise and use equipment you got for yourself. It just wouldn't work Sarah." She said with a sigh.

Sarah paused for a moment. "But is there a possibility? I don't care how small of a possibility it is. Just is there one?"

"Well theoretically yes but-"

"Thanks!" with that Sarah ran out of the coach's office in search of girls willing to play hockey.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel sat on the bus hardly daring to breath. He was on his way to the science museum and he couldn't believe his luck. Sitting next to him was Caroline Schmitt.

He felt like he'd died and gone to Heaven. For this must be what that feels like. She'd even sat next to him! Not the other way around.

She shifted slightly on the bus seat and her hand accidentally brushed his.

Nigel shivered at the sensation. She looked over and smiled at him. Nervously he smiled back.

_Yes. _He thought_. This is what Heaven feels like._

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Oh hi Mr. Murtaugh is Ann there?" Charlie asked nervously, pulling at his hair.

"She's not? No it's okay I don't need you to leave a message. Just tell I called okay? Thanks." With that he hung up and put his head in his hands.

It had been a week since she moved and he had spoken to her once, for all of three minutes. He wasn't sure if she was avoiding him or what but he had called there ten times and had caught her once.

"When did things stop going right?" he asked his empty house staring at the ring box still on his table.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark sat on a swing at the park moving slowly back and forth. His tattered converse sneaker dug in the dirt under the swing as he lightly pushed himself. With a sigh he pulled the joint from his mouth and threw it on the ground. Putting it out with his shoe he looked around.

There were only a few other people there as it was pretty cold out. A few parents and their kids.

The kids all looked so happy and carefree. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like that.

Watching them gave him a strange feeling, one that no amount of alcohol or drugs could give him.

It had been so long since he felt it that he didn't realize what he felt was longing.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kim sat on the edge of the bathtub absentmindedly turning a razor blade carefully between her fingers. She looked up at the door to make sure that it was locked. Satisfied that it was she carefully pushed up the sleeve of her shirt. Staring at the multitude of scars and half heeled cuts on her once unblemished forearm she felt a pang of sorrow.

Carefully she placed the blade to her skin. Ever so slowly she pressed it deeper and carefully dragged it down her wrist.

Drawing a shaky breathe she stared at the blood slowly coming to the surface. She felt fresh tears stinging at her eyes but she held them back.

"Only babies cry." She whispered.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kyle ran as fast he could ducking occasionally behind a tree or some other large object. He had to get home as fast as possible or Clerk might catch him. If there was one thing he didn't want today it was a broken nose.

He was halfway down his street when a hand grabbed his sweater.

"This'll teach you to talk to my girl." Clerk growled bringing his fist back.

There was a painful crack and Kyle knew he got exactly what he didn't want.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica sat nervously in Dean Phillips's car which was parked in front of her house. He had offered to take her home after their study date. Although they'd ended up doing more talking then studying.

"Thanks again Jess. You're a great tutor." Dean said smiling at her.

Jess blushed and shrugged. "Well you're a great student."

They smiled at each other and he leaned forward. When his lips touched hers Jessica mentally sighed in contentment.

_What does Kim know? A total player my ass!_

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"No Henry that was D not A." Pip said cheerfully from his seat on the floor next to Henry. They were at Pip's house where he had been teaching Henry for the last hour.

"Sorry." Henry muttered blushing.

"Jeez. It's not that big of a deal. You've been playing how long now? Three days?" Pip said with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah. But I don't know. I just want to be good." Henry explained nervously.

Pip chuckled and sent him a toothy smile. "You will be. But not anytime soon. Especially if you don't start practicing!" With that Pip poked Henry in the arm to get him to start playing.

As Henry raised the sax to his lips he could still feel his skin tingling where Pip had touched him.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake stared in disbelief at the cast list posted on Fits classroom door.

_Glinda- Emmeline Vance_

_Elphaba- Selene Dorsa_

_Fiyero- Jake Baker_

He turned away then and headed over to his locker. He had gotten the lead male role. The lead role! He had been so sure he wouldn't get any part at all. This was great!

But then another thought popped up into his head. If he had the lead male role he'd be needed for quite a lot of practices. What was he going to tell his parents?

There was no way in hell that he was going to tell them he was in a musical! He would never live it down.

But then again there was no way he would quit the play. Not after getting that role.

"When did life get so complicated?" he asked the empty hallway slamming his locker shut.


	5. Interlude 2

Interlude Two

Kyle thought he knew what pain felt like. Pain was when you fell on the concrete and scraped your knee when playing tag. Pain was when you misjudge the distance it takes to jump into the pool and bust your chin open on the concrete ledge and need three stitches. Pain is when your older sister hits you in the head with a hockey puck (or football, or soccer ball, or basket-ball).

Kyle was the youngest of twelve children and as such he was inadvertently often in the way of his older siblings which resulted in things being thrown at him or being jokingly(and not so jokingly) shoved into walls. As such Kyle thought he was pretty well versed in pain, perhaps not as well versed as Mike(who had broken his arm, both wrists, and an ankle in his twelve years of existence, not to mention his seventy-six stitches), Jake (broken arm, leg, wrist and nose with forty-nine stitches) or Sarah(broken ankle and wrist, twisted knee and thirty-two stitches). But if asked Kyle would say he was pretty sure he knew what pain felt like.

Only now as he sits on the curb two houses away from his with his head tilted back and stars in his eyes does he realize how dreadfully wrong he was.

Both of his hands are pressed to his face lightly in the hopes that he can hold the blood gushing from his nose inside his head. He learned the hard way not to put pressure on the undoubtedly broken bone the hard way. Blood ran in rivulets down his hands and onto his arms while he sat trying to gather himself together.

Kyle was all too well aware of the fact that the moment he walked in the front door he was guaranteed a Level Five parental freak-out (the time his siblings had soaked Nora's then boyfriend's Hank underwear in meat had been a Level Seven freak-out, the highest level any Baker child had ever seen). Kyle also knew he could not tell his parents that someone did this to him because then they would want to know who and word would make its way to Clerk that Kyle had squealed on him. Kyle drew in a deep and painful breath at the thought of what would happen to him then.

Clerk had already broken his nose with one punch he didn't need nor want to see what he could do with two.

Pressing his hands harder into his face Kyle cast his eyes around him for an excuse, any excuse, for his broken nose. He saw a kid across the street stumble as he was stepping over the curb and Kyle's brain started shooting off signals to inform him it had an Idea.

Kyle turned so he was kneeling next to the curb and smeared his bloody hands over part of it. Then he grabbed a nearby rock to cut a hole in the knee of his jeans and dragged his knee over the gravel in the road until his knee was bloody. To think he used to find such a thing painful.

With the scene of his 'accident' now created Kyle stood and grabbed his bag with bloody hands. He took a deep a breath as he could manage and wiped some of the blood off his face with his arm. As he walked up his driveway one word made its way into his mind, _Showtime._


	6. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Escalates

The weekend had passed slowly for the Bakers. Kate had flipped out when Kyle came home with a broken nose. Not only that, but Mike had come home with yet another note from his teacher saying he failed a test. Their happy family was hitting some major bumps.

By the time Monday rolled around the kids were actually glad for school as they were able to get out of the house and away from each other.

As they all went their respective ways each person was focused on their own problems. Even though everyone in the Baker family had problems it seemed to everyone that the biggest problem was their own.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sat head bent, hands folded in his lap as he sat glumly in the counselor's office. _Again. _It seemed to him he might as well put a little _'Reserved for Mike'_ sign on one of the chairs.

"Mike? You can come in now." Miss Sanders said opening the door to her office as she led a short boy out of the door.

He walked inside studying the floor intently as he sat down. He hated this part. The part where she told him how disappointed she was in him. The one thing he hated most in all off the world was when people were disappointed with him. He could stand yelling or tears but he could not stand disappointment.

Miss Sanders looked at the twelve year old boy sitting sadly across from her. Hating what she was about to do but knowing she had to she opened her mouth.

"You know why you're in here don't you Mike?" she asked placing her hands together in front of her on the desk.

He nodded not moving his eyes from the floor as he spoke. "I failed another test."

"Yes." Miss Sanders nodded. She sighed as she said what she knew had to be done. "Mike I don't like having to do this but I'm going to schedule a parent conference with your parents for tomorrow night. I think we should consider having you repeat the seventh grade."

With that statement Mike felt like the whole world just collapsed on him.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel sat in class staring at the empty seat in front of him while his teacher droned on about long division.

She wasn't at school today. She was never not at school. She came to school with a fever once even!

Something was wrong. It didn't take a genius to figure that one out. But what?

Nigel gently brushed the back of the chair in front of him. _I hope she's okay._ He thought to himself. With that he looked up at the teacher and pretended to pay attention.

Little did he know Caroline Schmitt was just in one of the worst automobile accidents Midland had seen in ten years.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Charlie sat with Anne in a dingy diner about five blocks from his house. She was busy telling him excuses for why she hadn't returned his calls but all he noticed was how she looked so different from the last time they were together.

Last time she had been smiling and genuinely happy to be with him. Now she looked sad. And bitter. You shouldn't look like that around people you love.

"Anne?" Charlie asked, interrupting her mid sentence.

"Yes Charlie?" She looked slightly startled and a lot confused.

"Do you still love me?" he asked swallowing.

Anne blinked in surprised. And then she hesitated. "Well I…"

"No." he said shaking his head. "_Honestly_. Do you still love me?"

The seconds seemed to stretch on forever as he waited for her answer.

Finally at long last she looked up at him. Looked him straight in the eye and said…

"No."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Loraine stood in line at Starbucks as she thought of what to order. Finally she settled on just getting what she always did, a double mocha latte.

When it was finally her turn she stood at the corner and said "Hi I'd like a-"

Here she was cut off by a deep male voice saying "A double mocha latte?"

She glanced up surprised and met Quincy Arvens amused eyes.

"Am I really that predictable?" she asked meekly.

He shrugged. "Don't think of it as predictable. Just think of it as…knowing what you like."

She smiled up at him and he smiled back.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"So then I told him 'no _you_ be careful.' And he just took it! Just stood there and let me say that to him! Can you believe it?" Bud cried happily.

Nora listened absentmindedly as she tried to get her twin daughters to eat. "No honey I can't." she replied honestly not even knowing what he was talking about.

"Neither can I! So then I-"

It was around then that Nora started to tune him out. Her girls weren't exactly fusing but they weren't cooperating either. Bud of course never noticed when she needed help. He was a wonderful husband but a shaky father.

It was times like these that made her glad they'd decided to stop having children.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Sarah sat on a bench during lunch her head in her hands. She'd called every girl she knew and talked to every girl at school and none of them wanted to play hockey. She just couldn't believe it. No matter how good she was the coach for the boys' team wouldn't even let her tryout! It made her so angry she couldn't even put it into words.

"Is anyone sitting here?" A male voice asked from above her as a shadow fell over her.

She moved her hand away from her eyes and shook her head. "No go ahead."

A boy of about 17 smiled at her and sat down. He had short black hair that was spiked and dark green eyes. "Thanks. Hey aren't you the girl that wanted to tryout for hockey?"

Sarah sighed. "Try is defiantly the right word they wouldn't even let me tryout!" she said angrily.

"I know. I was there." Seeing her confused look he went on. "I'm Tyler Curt. I'm the co-captain of the hockey team." He said holding out his hand.

"Sarah Baker." She said shaking his hand lightly.

"You know I could ask the coach to let you tryout. We still have an open spot and if you're good enough, not to mention tough enough, I bet I could get him to let you try." He said leaning back on the bench.

Sarah was floored. Her mouth literally fell open. "You would do that? Oh that'd be great thanks." She said smiling.

"No problem. Anything for a pretty girl." With that he stood up and left.

Sarah's happiness was immediately drained out of her. _'Anything for a pretty girl?' He doesn't think I can do this! I'll show him…_

Sarah thought before getting up and running to the rink to squeeze in some extra practice.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kyle sat on the coach watching _Shrek 2_ for the third time listening to his mom on the phone in the next room.

"So no one bullies him right? Because he swears he broke his nose falling off the curb. No one? Alright thank you. Bye." He then heard her sigh loudly.

He couldn't bring himself to tell his parents the truth. It was to humiliating.

Oh well. At least he got to stay home and didn't have to face Clerk today. As he watched the movie he dreamed that one day he could defeat the bad guy. He didn't care about saving a princess. Girls were icky after all.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark sat one leg tucked under the other with his head resting on the wall behind him. He was in the principal's office. He'd gotten in a fight with some punky kid. The kid called him a loser and Mark hit him. He was so stoned he didn't expect that the kid would fight back.

But he did. Mark broke the kid's nose and gave him a black eye. But the kid gave Mark two black eyes and a bloody nose, not to mention a ton of scratches along one side of his face.

"Mark? Get in here." The principal demanded as he opened his door.

Mark walked in uncaring and plopped down in a seat uninvited.

"I'd like to know what you were thinking starting this fight." The principal said as he sat down behind his desk.

Mark looked up at him. "I was thinking I could use another joint."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica stood in front of the mirror in the girls bathroom reapplying lip stick as she painstakingly went over every little detail of Friday night with Claudia.

"So he kissed you?" Claudia asked. Jessica nodded happily.

"Yup." She said smacking her lips together.

"So when do you think you'll have sex with him?" Claudia asked nonchalantly.

"What?" Jessica asked surprised.

"Well a guy like him is not gonna wait for long sweetie." She explained smiling.

Jessica looked at herself in the mirror. She was only fourteen. Was she ready for this?

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry watched the movie play out on the screen as he leaned back in the red seat. Pip and him had decided to take a break from the sax and go see a movie. Henry was amazed at how much he had in common with the cheerful peppy boy.

As the movie ended they walked out laughing only to run into some jocks from school.

"Well well looks like Pip here got himself a new boyfriend." One of the jocks drawled.

"Yeah won't Charlie be proud to find out that his little brother's a faggot?" another one taunted before they walked off laughing.

Henry stared after them. He wasn't gay. Was he?

It would explain the way he felt around Pip sometimes. Like when he laughed or smiled or even looked at him. It would explain those back flips his stomach would do or his shortage of breath or-

_No._ Henry cut off his thoughts. _I am not gay...I think._

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kim breathed deeply as she sat on the floor in the girls' bathroom. She'd heard what Jessica and Claudia had been discussing and now that they were gone she was in deep thought. She didn't want her twin sister to turn into some girl guys went to 'for a good time' but that's what it seemed was gonna happen.

As she opened her backpack to get out her CD player she saw her chemistry test portraying a loud red F at the top of the page.

Kim snapped open her CD player and pulled out the Anti-flag CD. Looking at it she broke it in half and placed the sharper half against her wrist.

"Screw you Jess. I've got problems to." With that she brought the jagged edge of the CD down hard.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake sat with Selene as they practiced their duet together. He kept getting off key.

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry Selene. I'm just real stressed out right now." He explained.

"About your family?" she asked with a nod of understanding.

"Yeah, I haven't exactly told them about this and I'm scared what they'll do if they find out."

She smiled at him. "They're your family. They'll love you no matter what."

He looked at her and smiled. She was right.

But the Baker family was about to find out what no matter what was.


	7. Interlude 3

Interlude Three

Gloomily Mike kicked a small rock with his scuffed up hand me down sneakers and shoved his hands further into the pockets of his jeans. Laughter echoed in his ears and he looked over at the park he was walking by to see two small girls playing with each other as their moms watched them with smiles on their faces. Sighing Mike looked away and continued his walk home.

_Repeat the seventh grade. _The words echoed in his head like the tune of an obnoxious song. Mike had been the first Baker to do a lot of things, a feat to be proud of when your the tenth child. He was the first person in their family to repeal off the roof, the first person to get thirty stitches at once (skateboard accident), and he was the first person to try to kidnap the neighbors dog(what? He was six). Those were all things that he could be and was proud of. Being the first to do something in a family as large as his was usually always something to be proud of.

But not this.

Mike didn't want to be the first and probably only Baker child to have to repeat a grade. He already received the lowest marks out of his siblings and he could see the disappointment on his parents faces every time he brought home a report card. In fact since he was in third grade Mike had started to run home every day report cards were given out so that he could get his to his parents first. This way he didn't have to live up to as many people's expectations.

Repeating the seventh grade might not be that big of a deal to some people and if Mike came from a smaller family it honestly might not be that big of a deal to him. But as it were Mike knew that this would destroy him. How could he ever expect his siblings to respect him when he was the only one stupid enough in their family to repeat a grade.

Kicking out at another rock Mike turned onto his street and slowed his pace down considerably. As his house was coming into view he toyed with the notion of just walking past it and never looking back. Just leaving forever and never having to face the shame of being the family joke, the family idiot. He walked slowly past his yard and stopped at the end of the driveway where his mom was struggling with three large grocery bags. Mike shook his head at himself. He would never leave his family, not like that. This was where he belonged, no matter how stupid he was he thought as he headed up the gravel to take two of the bags from Kate.


	8. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Save Me

The Baker house was so quiet a pin could have fallen and you would still be able to hear it. The nine Baker children that still lived at home sat uncomfortably in their large living room staring at their parents who stood at the front of the room. Tom looked plain livid and Kate just looked depressed.

"I suppose you're wondering why we called this family meeting-"Kate began but was cut off by her husband.

"Secrets." He explained his anger showing clearly in his voice as he paced up and down in front of them, like he did in front of his team during pep talks when they were beyond losing. "Secrets do not belong in a team. Secrets don't make a team. Everyone is entitled to small secrets but not like the ones some of you are hiding."

Tom stopped in front of Mike and looked down at him his anger slightly softening. "Mike." He began. Mike looked down embarrassed. He knew what was coming. "We just got back from your parent teacher conference. We see you studying all the time. How can you not pass the tests?"

Mike shrugged and looked downhearted. "I don't know." He said miserably. "Its like I know all the stuff but once a test is in front of me I don't know anything. Its like it's written in martian."

Kate sighed and walked over to him. "Well Ms. Sanders suggested that we have you repeat the seventh grade." She said kneeling down to look at him.

Mike blushed and nodded to show he already knew this. He found himself severely wishing his brothers and sisters weren't in the room.

"But" Kate continued. Mike's head snapped up. There was a but? "She has agreed to see how you stand at the end of the year. We're going to make sure you study every night. Its not gonna be fun but you need to do this is you want to move on next year."

Mike nodded rigorously and leaned foreword to hug his mom. "I will Mom. I promise." He said happily. Leaning back he smiled at his father who ruffled his hair affectionately before walking to stand next to Nigel.

"Nigel." He began. Nigel looked up at him fearfully. He hadn't done anything wrong lately. Had he? "You've been distant the last few days. What's wrong?"

Nigel looked down at his feet. He hadn't been distant. He was just worried. About Caroline. She wasn't at school today either. He knew something was wrong. "Nothing." He whispered staring intently at the floor.

Tom looked down at him and Nigel knew he didn't believe him but he let it slide for once deciding he would talk to him alone. He walked to stand next to Sarah.

"Sarah. Anything new you'd like to report to us?" he asked looking down at her where she was perched on the arm of the chair Jake sat on.

"The hockey coach is finally going to let me try out tomorrow." She announced.

Tom smiled and hugged her. "That's great! Knew he'd come to his senses." He then turned towards Jake. "Jake? Anything new?" he asked.

Jake shook his head no. "Just the same old same old." He said with a slight shrug. Tom and Kate both shared a look before deciding that sense he hadn't been in any major trouble lately they'd just let it slide.

Kate looked towards her oldest set of twins. "Kim? How about you? Anything you'd like to tell the family?"

Kim looked up at her mother with large brown eyes. _Yes_. She thought._ I'd like to tell you about the mistake Jessica is about to make. I'd like to tell you how worried I am about it. I'd like to tell you about how worried I am that I don't feel happy anymore. I'd like to tell you how scared I am about failing my test. I'd like to tell you how I've cut myself since school started. I'd like to tell you to save me. Save me from myself._

"No." she said leaning her head back to rest on the couch behind her.

Kate sighed but looked at Jessica who sat across the room from her twin. Something that had been happening quite often lately. "Jessica? How about you?" she asked hoping this twin would offer more information.

Jessica looked at her mother with the same large eyes as Kim, although Kim's were slightly darker. "Nope." She said carelessly.

Tom decided that this was going nowhere. "This is exactly what I meant you guys. Secrets. We need to open up to each other. Tell each other what's going on in our lives. Isn't there anything at all you wanna talk about?" he asked looking at his kids.

Nobody said anything so Tom looked at Kyle who looked down sheepishly. "How'd you break your nose?" he asked running a hand through his thinning white hair.

"Fell." He mumbled staring so intently at the ground it was like he was trying to set it on fire.

Kate sighed and shrugged as Tom looked at her. She had no idea what to do. Tom looked at Henry, the oldest in the room. Hoping he would get some information from this boy he asked him how his life was going.

_I think I might be gay. _Henry thought to himself as he said aloud. "Same as usual. Nothing of interest to report."

Tom nodded before turning to the last person in the room he hadn't talked to.

"Mark." He said in a dejected voice walking over to stand next to his son. Kate walked over to him to and sat on the arm of the chair next to him putting her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. He shrugged it off his face vacant of any emotion. Kate looked hurt but didn't say anything as she dropped her hand into her lap.

"What were you thinking?" Tom asked shaking his head. "Fighting at school, doing drugs. Even worse doing drugs at school you're lucky all you got was four day suspension! I'm surprised they didn't expel you." He ranted looking down at his son who looked at him, his face blank. This unnerved Tom but he didn't break his son's gaze.

Mark finally looked down and sighed. He had been waiting for this since yesterday when he came home. His parents had already chewed him out. Now it was time for the 'what were you thinking' part. Luckily though he had already planned out a cover story.

"I'm sorry." He said looking up and meeting his father's eyes, putting a look on his face that really made it seem like he was sorry. "It won't happen again. It was the first time I ever did it I _swear_." Mark sighed looking downhearted but inside he was congratulating himself on his acting. "These seniors were smoking when I walked into the bathroom. They made me take a hit saying if I didn't they would beat me up. I was scared. I'm sorry." He ended with a whisper looking down as his mother hugged him tightly whispering that it was okay.

Tom placed a hand on his shoulder and Mark had to fight off the strong urge to throw it off. "Just don't do it again okay?" Tom said sighing. Mark nodded knowing that he'd have to be more careful now. _Looks like I'll be spending more time at Dodge's._ He thought as their parents finally decided they could all leave and get ready for bed.

"You still have school tomorrow." Kate said as she ushered them upstairs.

"Oh yeah Mom. Tomorrow's a half day. We get off at twelve thirty." Henry said as he headed up the stairs.

Jake swore in his mind. He was hoping his siblings would forget to mention that. He had practice after school today and he was relying on the fact that it ended when school usually did to not have to make up and excuse.

"Alright thank you Henry." Kate called up the stairs before stopping Nigel as he went to head up the stairs. "Honey I have to show you something." She said sadly before leading her youngest son back into the living room and having him sit down.

Nigel sat on the couch looking nervous as his mother picked up a newspaper from the table in front of him. With a sigh his mother sat next to him and put her arm around his shoulders. Flipping open the newspaper she showed him the front page. It was taken up by a picture of a flaming two flaming cars. Nigel looked at it confused before looking up at his mother.

"A girl in your class was in this accident." Kate explained. Nigel felt his stomach drop out of his feet. _No. Not Caroline._ He thought to himself glancing fearfully at the newspaper. "Her name's Caroline." Nigel felt like he was going to throw up and tears were beginning to prickle in the corner of his eyes. "She's still in the hospital. They've been doing surgery on her since yesterday. Their not sure if she's going to make it."

Nigel fell into his mom's arms as tears began to fall steadily down his face. Kate rubbed his back soothingly. "She asked to see you. When they were pulling her out of the car. She wants to see you." She explained in a soft voice.

Nigel pushed himself away and looked at his mother. "When can I see her?" he asked his voice cracking.

Kate smiled sadly down at him. "She'll be out of surgery tonight. We'll go first thing tomorrow."

Nigel nodded sadly before falling back into his mother's comforting embrace.


	9. Interlude Four

Interlude Four

WARNING- This chapter contains domestic/verbal/emotional abuse and while its not graphic it might upset people. Proceed with caution.

Groaning Loraine flopped her head onto her paper cluttered desk and closed her eyes praying that when she opened them the papers would be gone.

No such luck.

Sighing she leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her long blonde hair no longer pin straight as it was when she got to work ten hours ago. Now it was wavy and frizzy and all together in her way.

Pulling it up into a hasty bun Lorraine glared at the work on her desk before diving into it with a renewed vigor. The fashion industry could get overwhelming sometimes but all in all it was worth it. Loraine always got new fashion trends before everyone else and cool tips. She also got to meet really famous people and attractive models.

Like Lance.

She met Lance two years ago for a shoot in the October issue. They had a stunningly hot courtship and then she moved in with him after three months. Then things went downhill.

Fast.

It started out as little things. Lance would ask her if she was really going to eat that bagel, or if she was actually going to get dressing with her salad. She thought he was just looking out for her, he was a model and needed to have a photo ready body at all time so she assumed he just wanted his girlfriend to look good to. So she went with him to the gym six days a week and cut nearly everything tasty out of her diet and things continued fine for another four or so months.

But then his agent fled the country because of drug charges and Lance got mean.

Suddenly everything she did was wrong. If she ate anything he would lose it and scream at her for hours. Once he hauled her into the bathroom by her hair and forced her to throw up the apple she had just consumed. He began to call her terrible names and say rude things to her constantly. He once even insulted her in public, calling her a whore and accusing her of sleeping with a man she talked to on the subway. A many that was actually her coworker and happily married.

Lance had terrible mood swings for the last five months Loraine was with him. He would be so sweet one day, bringing her flowers, and the next he was calling her a slut and accusing her of cheating on him. It got so bad she was weighing only ninety-four pounds by the end of it and was afraid to even look at food for fear he would find out. Her work began to suffer and she couldn't sleep. Her hair began to thin and fall out and her skin got dry and pale.

He started calling her ugly.

But she dealt with it all, the insults, the lack of food, all for those few moments where he would be so sweet to her. But then one day he got back from a shoot and saw her asleep on the couch when he got home. He was so angry because the shoot hadn't gone well and he was blaming her for it. Without warning he backhanded her across the face.

As her lip started bleeding Loraine looked up at him, her hand clutching her swelling cheek and saw the unmasked rage on his handsome features. That slap was what finally knocked some sense into her.

She spent that night at Grace's and the next day they moved her things out of the apartment. Se stayed with Grace for two months before she got back on her feet. It was another five months before she could eat a full meal or miss a workout without feeling so guilty she got sick.

Then four months ago she walked into Starbucks and the cute barista had told her to not get black coffee but something with a bit more of a taste to it.

Quincy Arvens was the first person to get her to consume something sweet in nearly 18 months and the smile he gave her after her first sip stuck with her.

She had been a reoccurring customer ever since.

AN_ If you or someone you know is the victim of intimate partner abuse call the US _National Domestic Violence Hotline Number_ 800-799-7233. Sorry I only have the number for the US.

Verbal abuse is still abuse.


	10. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The sun was shining brightly down on all of the houses in Lake Winnetka. The sunshine however, was not a good thing for one man.

There was a groan as Charlie Baker shut his eyes and threw his arm over his face trying to block out the bright sunlight. But it was to no avail and a few moments later he gave up with a groan, sitting up. As he did this however all of his senses seemed to rush back into him at once and in the next second he was being reintroduced to the insides of his stomach as it was emptied over the toilet bowl.

Once he was finished he ran a hand over his face wearily, glancing around the room as his eyes slowly adjusted to the light. He was in a bathroom, that much was obvious, but where the bathroom was he had no idea. His shirt was off as were his shoes and only one sock clung faithfully half way on his right foot. There were at least five empty beer bottles strewn about the room, but to his relief all of the vomit had managed to somehow make it into the toilet.

Clutching the sink edge he pulled himself to his feet taking a considerable more time to do so then under normal circumstances. Standing he swayed slightly while looking at his reflection in the mirror. He winced as he saw the blood shot of his eyes and was surprised to see a large cut down his face and that his left eye was swollen almost shut. He glanced down at his knuckles and found them red and scratched with dried blood. Suddenly all these pains rushed to him adding to the pain in his head. It was like they were all just waiting to be noticed before hurting.

He turned on the sink and splashed some water on his face remembering to be careful of his battle wounds. As he was drying his face on a towel he found thrown on the floor he caught sight of a pair of bare feet and legs. He lowered the towel wearily and saw a pretty girl leaning against the door jab wearing his missing shirt.

"Hey." She said in a soft voice as if being mindful of his head. Even in his blurry state he remembered Anne and how she always banged everything, from the door to the water glass she'd set in front of him, whenever he was hung over, not to mention her tendency to talk in four times her normal volume.

"Hi." Charlie said back still staring at her trying futilely to remember last night. All he got was a few quick flashes. Going to Anne's house and seeing her kissing another man passionately against his car, going up to the man and punching him, a quick and furious ride to _Grippy's_ the local bar, tossing a few back and then falling onto something soft and white which he could only assume was a bed.

He turned around and looked at the women behind him again. She was short, shorter then Anne at least, but not too short and he could see just the outline of curves under his shirt. Her hair was long and a curly dark brown, pulled back in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. But it was her eyes that made him stop dead. They were a deep blue and framed in thick black lashes. Her face was sprinkled with the lightest of freckles and her lips were pink and full. They parted and he drew his eyes back up to hers.

She cleared her throat awkwardly and let her voice fill the room again. "I'm Elizabeth. By the way." She said, blushing a bit and looking down at the floor. He smiled and in a sudden moment of clarity reached foreword with one hand and lifted her chin to look her in those eyes again.

"Charlie."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Breakfast at the Baker's household was always a hectic affair. Now as the sun was slowly making its way up the sky that Wednesday morning it seemed to be even worse than usual.

There was still the stand off between Kim and Jessica who were now sitting on complete opposite sides of the table neither looking any where near the other, nor seeming to want to. Jessica was flipping through the newest edition of _Vogue_ while eating toast and Kim was pushing a spoon around a bowl of soggy Lucky Charms in slow circular motions never raising the spoon to her lips.

Nigel was sitting next to Kate staring at his cereal but like Kim not eating it, although the reason was completely different. Kate glanced at him over her coffee cup and reached over to smooth down his hair. He looked over at her with an almost sick expression.

"It'll be alright sweetie." She said putting down her coffee cup. "I promise we'll see her soon."

Nigel only nodded as Jake came bounding down the stairs taking the last four in one leap. He rushed into the kitchen while tossing his bag over his shoulder. He reached around Mike to grab a piece of toast and kissed his mother on the head.

"Gotta go Mom. See ya at six." He said quickly before pulling back and almost knocking Sarah's milk into her lap.

"What's your rush man?!" she yelled after his retreating form as Kate yelled out after him "Why so late?" both their questions went unanswered though as their only response was the door slamming shut.

Just then Tom entered the room pulling on the end of his tie. "How many times have we told you kids not to slam the door?" he asked as he poured a cup of coffee then moved to sit down, kissing Kate on the cheek as he did.

"Well I'm done." Kim said getting up quickly and taking her bowl to the sink where she quickly dumped it out and rinsed it before rushing up the stairs. Jessica's eyes didn't move from her magazine the entire time.

Henry stood up and took his glass to the sink. "I'm leaving now whoever wants a ride."

"I'm down." Sarah said, quickly downing her cereal. Mark, who was suspended till the next week, stood up too, bringing both his and Sarah's bowls to the sink as she rushed upstairs to find her back pack. On her way up the stairs she passed Kim who was busy pulling her sleeves down over her hands, her brown messenger bag already slung over one shoulder.

Sarah moved herself to one side of the stairs allowing Kim to pass her. When she did she looked up and caught Sarah's eye. As Sarah continued up the stairs she began to wonder when the ever present light in Kim's eyes had gone out.

When she got back downstairs Jessica had already left with Claudia and she could see Kim walking almost to the stop sign on the corner of the street. Tom was leaving with Kyle and Mike in step behind him. There was a beep from outside and she realized that Henry was already out in the car waiting for her. Hearing the beep again she rushed over kissed her mother on the cheek and ran out the door.

Kate sighed as the door slammed for the last time and surveyed the mess of dishes and food before her, Nigel still sitting numbly by her side.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"So the party this weekend is going to be huge! I mean huger then huge. This one's supposed to be even better then Neil's last month. Remember that one?" Claudia gushed as she leaned foreword into the bathroom mirror pursing her lips just so to get her cherry flavored lip gloss to shine just right.

"Uh huh." Jessica nodded as she too ran lip gloss over her lips, hers watermelon flavored. In the back of her mind this automatically triggered memories of her and Kim spending endless summer days spitting watermelon seeds at their brothers just like Sarah had taught them.

"So…." Claudia began turning away from the mirror to fully face Jessica who wearily lowered her lip gloss and capped it. Claudia leaned against the sink crossing her arms. "Think it'll be the big night?" she asked rising one perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"What?" Jessica asked confused, her own eyebrows puckering.

Claudia rolled her big brown eyes. "For you and Dean." She said as if having to explain this meant Jessica was seriously slow.

Jessica still had a look of confusion on her face until Claudia finally gave a huge sigh that seemed to shake her bony shoulders and said, "Do you think you guys are gonna do it or not?"

"Oh!" Jessica's eyebrows rose up and a red blush began to cross her face rapidly. "Oh um I don't know really. I mean we barely know each other you know?" she said turning back to face the mirror again.

"Well what's to know? I mean you guys like each other right?" Claudia asked turning sideways a bit both talk to Jessica and watch her own reflection in the mirror. Jessica nodded. "And you guys have kissed _riiiiiight_?" again Jessica nodded her blush growing deeper. "Well then what's the problem?"

Jessica blushed and picked invisible lint off her low cut pink V neck sweater. "I don't know. I guess I'm just not sure if its time you know?" she said looking up at Claudia through her eyelashes. Claudia looked genially confused before smiling a wide smile.

"Don't worry hun, after this weekend everything will change."

The girls spent a few more minutes puttering around before the warning bell sounded and they headed off to class letting the door slam shut on their way out, cutting off their laughter and conversation.

The bathroom was quite for a moment before a single stall door opened, the one right against the wall.

"That's where you're wrong Claudia. Everything already has." Kim whispered staring across at her reflection before grabbing her bag off the floor not noticing the single ruby red drop that fell from her wrist and onto the clean tile floor below.

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Mark lay on the ground hands laced behind his head. The grass beneath him was wet and prickly, blades tickling his face and sticking up into his glasses. The sun was hot on his face and he closed his eyes trying to soak it all in. The warmth, the sunshine. Everything.

He breathed in deeply through his nose inhaling all the scents of grass, of the earth. He had just opened his eyes again when the back door banged open and his mother's voice called out to him.

"Mark!" he looked over at her twisting to prop his head up on his hand. "I'm taking Nigel to visit Caroline. We'll be back in a couple of hours okay?" he nodded reaching up to push up his glasses automatically when they slid down the bridge of his nose. "Alright well don't go anywhere okay? You're still grounded!" Again he nodded and as she found this sufficient she called out a final "I love you!" before going back inside and sliding the door shut behind her.

Mark rolled back onto his back and resumed staring up at the sky. "I love you too." He whispered as he let his eyes drift shut again.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake stood bouncing on the balls of his feet staring uninterested across the court. Gym class, he decided tugging on the hem of his blue shorts, was hell.

It was bad enough that it was fifty minutes of unwanted physical exertion, but then once you added in the uniforms with their itching socks and too short shorts, and the coach who tended to get spit on you as he yelled out "More laps!" and "Faster!", then it was hell.

He sighed as the ball came his way and stepped aside nimbly. They were playing his least favorite sport, dodge ball. The very name made him cringe in distaste. It was also girls verses guys so he had no choice but to be stuck with Tommy Falcone who was the Varsity footballs starting quarterback and had a strong dislike for anyone in drama.

They had been playing a good twenty minutes before Jake was finally hit. Hard. In the back of his head. He looked behind him warily and saw Tommy smirk at him before sauntering up next to him.

"So I heard you're in that musical, wuss." He said in a voice he probably found menacing but Jake personally thought made him sound like he was recovering from a cold.

"That's' right." He said turning around to face foreword.

"Well that's too bad." Tommy said jumping up to catch a red rubber ball.

"Oh? And why's that?" Jake asked, once again stepping aside to avoid being pummeled.

"Well it's sure gonna be hard to sing once I knock out your front teeth." Tommy said smiling over at him cruelly.

Jake just eyed him wearily trying to decipher his tone if this was a joke or not when Tommy smiled wider and lobbed the ball across the room where it hit a small freshman named Lacey right in the face.

"Just keep that in mind." Tommy said before sauntering back to his corner of the court as the coach yelled out "Nice throw Falcone!" and Lacey was led off the court by her friend, tears in her eyes and blood flowing freely from her nose.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the counter as she rode out another wave of nausea. This was the third time this week she'd been sick and it was always caused by the same thing. The smell of fish.

It was what Bud ate for lunch everyday as there was a fish market only four blocks away form his office. Every time he came home he'd come in and kiss her then go upstairs to change. Once he was upstairs she'd run into the bathroom and puke.

Now she stepped outside quietly, sweeping Henrietta up into her arms out of her bouncer. She held her carefully on her hip before walking into the next room where Bud was with the other children.

"You alright hun?" he asked looking up at her from the coach where he had Judith balanced on her feet in his lap. She giggled and clapped her hands as Tom made truck noises down at Bud's feet ramming a toy monster truck into the coach every two seconds.

Nora smiled. "I'm fine." She lied before sitting down and kissing Judith on the head, reaching down to rumple Tom's hair. And as she sat surrounded by her family, she almost believed herself.

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Kyle swung his feet absentmindedly as he sat on a bench at recess. His nose still hurt and his friends kept trying to poke it causing the teacher, an older woman named Mrs. Wright, to have him sit on the bench all recess.

He watched all the other kids in his class run around and jump and play. Their laughter rang in his ears as he lay down on the bench. He stared up at the trees above him and wondered if anyone else had ever felt this way. So out of place even among people you once felt completely at home with. Little did he know that only twenty feet away another boy was thinking the exact same thing.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Sarah's breathe came out in a puff of air, clearly visible in the cold of the rink. Her skates moved underneath her steadily, in a glide that almost made her fly. In fact at some moments she half expected the ground not to be underneath her at all. Her stick was held tightly in her right hand as she pushed the puck up the empty rink towards the unmanned net. She reared her arm back and let it fly out, the puck landing with a satisfying thunk in the net.

She smiled beneath her face mask in silent victory going back to the middle of the rink where more pucks lay in a heap of black plastic. She was just pushing one away from the group when a voice broke her out of her revere.

"Want another player?"

She turned startled and looked over her shoulder as another figure stepped out onto the ice, already in full gear. Clearly they were not expecting a no.

Sarah cleared her throat. "Well actually the teams are all full." She said as she watched the figure skate up to her, where they stopped spraying ice onto her skates.

"Well I'll gladly take shifts." They said and now up close Sarah could tell it was a male. She could just see the tip of brown hair underneath his helmet.

She smiled against her will. "Well I suppose we could work something out." She said with a smirk as he smiled and pushed some of the pucks away with his skate, turning his wrist slightly to better his grip on his stick.

The game started in a flash, neither entirely sure who hit the puck as they began a game that would last long after their free period was over, neither sure of the score when it ended or at all during the game. It was a game of sweat and laughter and more than one made up rule. A game they assumed was private. But they didn't notice the person watching from the locker room hallway.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sighed as he walked home from school kicking a pebble carelessly. He ran one hand through his blonde hair then glanced down at the paper in his hand, an English assignment. He had to write a two page long report about a subject they had drawn from a hat. He had only two weeks to write it. English was never his strong suit and although tests were his worst weakness, papers followed in a close second. He would never get this done in time.

His subject didn't help matters. One would think that for him, coming from where he did that it would be easy for him. But he had a feeling that this would be his hardest assignment yet.

He sighed again dropping his hand and staring up the road at the stop sign. He glanced down at the paper in his hand and mentally cringed as he caught sight of the slip of paper stapled to it with his subject written on it in clear block letters.

It was almost like a sure fire sign that he would fail. He would be back in the seventh grade again next year. He sighed and whispered the word to himself in misery.

"Family."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry sighed as he walked to his car after school. He ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly. He hadn't seen Pip at school all day today, not even for their lesson. And for a reason he couldn't quite explain this worried him, which in turn worried him even more.

He was sitting inside his car about to back out when he noticed it. In his rearview mirror he could see a brightly colored shape moving quickly across the empty parking lot towards him.

"Wait!" he heard a voice cry from the distance. He stopped backing out and opened the car door to get a better view. About half a minute later he realized that the brightly colored shape was Pip who was running towards him in a rainbow striped shirt that said in big block printing "I'm Gay. R U?"

Despite himself Henry smiled at this as Pip came running up and collapsed against the side of his car.

"Hey." Henry said.

Pip smiled between gasps. "Hey." He said clutching at the cramp in his side. "Sorry I missed –pant- practice. I got –pant- detention."

Henry shrugged like this was no big deal although it had been worrying him for the last two hours. "No biggie. So…" here he paused looking at Pip timidly. "Need a ride?"

Pip smiled. "Sure." And with that he pushed off the side of the car and walked around hopping into the front seat a few seconds later.

As Henry put the car in reverse and began to back out he had a feeling that whatever happened next could change something between them. Not something big, maybe small enough even that it went unnoticed in the big picture. But if one was to really look closely, you'd see it. It was right there, all one had to do was look for it.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Loraine leaned back into the worn blue armchair letting the cushions envelop her. She brought her coffee cup to her face and breathed the scent in deeply. It was almost five o'clock and she'd arrived here later than usual. When she got up to the counter she hadn't even had a chance to order before a coffee cup was being pushed her way.

She'd looked up in confusion and saw Quincy smiling at her.

"Figured it was time you tried something new. We do offer other things on the menu you know." He teased as she blushed slightly under the warm coffee shop lights.

"Oh I know, I just…" whatever she just was she never got to finish as Quincy picked up her hand and placed it around the cup securely.

"Come on, branch out a little." He'd said and she was so distracted by the feel of his hand on hers she'd nodded, not aware of anything else around her from the musak playing softly or the soft rustle of clothing as the person behind her shifted impatiently.

"What is it?" she finally managed to question as he let go of her hand.

"Venti cinnamon latté. Trust me you'll like it." He said handing her a chocolate biscotti. She took it and reached into her purse for her wallet but Quincy stopped her with a shake of his hand.

"What-" she began but he spoke over her.

"On the house." He said with a beaming smile. "Our favorite customer deserves a perk once in a while don't you think?" he'd asked smiling.

She'd only blushed and taken her coffee over to her corner as the person behind her cleared their throat impatiently.

So now she sat staring out the window into the slowly approaching dawn, holding a cup of coffee she'd never tasted. She'd been doing this for about two minutes when she heard from the side of her, "It's not poisoned you know."

She glanced over in confusion and saw Quincy watching her as a customer, an older man with a wooden cane next to him, dug for his money. She smiled sheepishly before bringing the cup to her lips and taking a sip. The taste was warm and sweet and yet slightly spicy. She swallowed then called out to Quincy, "It's good."

He just smiled encouragingly before turning back to his customer, "I know."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kim hoisted herself up onto the short brick wall that covered the back half of campus by the sports field. She sat her bag by her feet and leaned back a bit on her hands, tilting her face up to the sky letting the warmth wash over her.

With a sigh she closed her eyes, feeling at peace for the first time in a long while. Her black clothes sucked up the warmth of the sun and it felt good, right even. In the back of her mind she could still feel the sting from her latest cuts but she was so used to this she was able to ignore it. It was near the middle of November now, soon the sun would only have a cold chill to it. She sighed as she thought of this, of how all good things have to end.

She opened her eyes as all the memories of today came rushing at her at once, leaving her feeling unprepared and breathless. Jessica in the bathroom with Claudia, her own face distorted back at her in a puddle looking muddy and broken, another calc test given back with a big fat F on it, the mocking faces of all the people around her as they spit names at her. "Emo." "Loser." "Whore." "Faggot."

She jumped off the wall grabbing her bag and leaving the fields at a sprint, not sure where she was going not sure what she was running from. There was only one thing she was sure of as the sun beat down harsh above her, her moment of peace was gone.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel stood in the doorway to Caroline Schmitt's hospital room. She was laying in a hospital bed a bandage around her head and her left leg in a cast. The doctor was talking to his mom behind him and he caught a few words like, "Broken ribs…bruised intestines." But none of it meant anything to him as he stepped foreword and saw her.

She looked so small and frail in the big white bed. He stood looking down at her and her blue eyes opened slowly. She looked at him in confusion before smiling.

"Nigel." She whispered, and he nodded reaching foreword to carefully take her hand in his.

He didn't say anything and neither did she, she just closed her eyes again and breathed in deeply. He noticed her wince as she did so. They stayed like that for a long while and as he shifted once she whispered faintly, so faint he almost couldn't hear her. "Don't leave me."

He looked down at her and carefully sat down next to her in the empty space on her bed. "I won't." he promised, squeezing her hand gently as she slowly fell asleep. And that was how Kate found them when she looked in on them twenty minutes later.

AN- I am so sorry it takes me so long to upload! I can only hope this chapter made up for it a little. No idea when the next chapter will be up but don't hope for anything before June. I'll try for then!


	11. Chapter 6

AN- Hopefully this will make up a little bit for my neglect on this sotry.

Disclaimer- I owe absolutely nothing at all but my few OC's and a jug of milk.

Chapter 6

The rain started on Friday morning and continued well into the day. Tom sat staring out the window of his office watching big fat raindrops hit the glass and slide down slowly. He imagined how shocking it must be to suddenly have your fall broken by something you never saw and never even crossed your mind might be there. He wondered how strange it must be to have something right in front of your eyes but never even see it until it was too late.

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Over four hundred miles away the sky was completely clear of clouds although it was packed full with smog. Lorraine sighed as she leaned back against the bench at the bus stop on 4th and Waverly. Sighing she ran her hand absentmindedly through her long blonde hair closing her eyes and trying to fight off the urge to sleep.

She raised her face up towards the sun barely feeling it as it filtered down through the smoke and smog clouding the air. Even though she loved New York and the big city life she missed the unfiltered sunlight of home more then anything in the world.

Sighing she let her eyes drift open and when she saw someone right in front of her she jumped, her hand reaching to her heart as she gasped.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Quincy smiled before sitting down next to her on the bench.

"It's alright." Lorraine said feeling her heart rate slowly go back to normal.

"Just get off work?" Quincy asked leaning comfortably asked the bench's back.

"Yeah. You?" she asked looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Naw it's my day off. Were you headed to the shop?" he asked his deep brown eyes meeting hers.

She nodded breathless to afraid to speak. Quincy frowned for a moment as if deliberating something.

"You know what? I think we both spend way to much time in that shop. The smell of coffee is probably embedded in our skin. What do you say we find a different way to spend what's left of the day?" he asked propping his elbow on the bench's back and placing his head in his hand.

Lorraine fought off the urge to pinch herself and took a breath. "Well what do you have in mind?"

Quincy stood up as the bus pulled to a stop in front of them holding his hand out for hers. As she took it she was surprised to find it pleasantly warm like he'd been out in the sun all afternoon. "You'll see." He smiled his eyes dancing in the sunlight that filtered through a sudden break in the smog cover.

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Mark sat around the corner of the house on an old chair that was outside with a broken rung on the back. He leaned his head against the side of the house and closed his eyes as the rain splattered off his glasses and face feeling the drops slide down his face like tears.

He reached up and pulled his glasses off enjoying the feeling of the rain hitting his eyes. He breathed in deep through his nose smelling the delightful scent of rain and a faint undertone of earth.

He let his eyes drift open; happy for a moment, but when his eyes opened he caught sight of the bike lying on its side across from him. It was originally Charlie's bike but it had been passed through both Henry and Jake before it reached Mark. Mark fought back the surge of anger he felt as he realized nothing in his whole life had ever been just his. But then a sudden thought came to him and he placed his glasses back on his face and stood up.

Mark walked a few feet to an old play chest no one used anymore and was full of broken toys. He opened it and began to dig through it; the rain falling into the open chest as he shoved broken dolls and toy cars out of the way to reach the bottom. Feeling his hand around the scratchy wooden surface he smiled as his fingers closed around glass.

He smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he pulled out a half full bottle and unscrewed the cap while he kicked the play chest shut and glared at the offending bicycle.

Staring at the bike as if it had personally offended him he whispered, "At least I can call this my own." Then he placed the bottle against his lips and tipped his head back allowing the alcohol to burn a liquid trail down his throat, the rain pounding off his face and glasses with cold sharp cruelty.

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Jessica was in over her head. This was something that she admitted to herself in absolute wonderment. She was completely unsure of what she was doing or why she was doing it. All she knew was that she was doing it.

She was lying in the backseat of Dean's blue Pontiac while Dean lay on top of her kissing her neck and she could feel his hand slowly moving up her side pushing her shirt up as he did so.

She stared at the beige ceiling of the car hearing the raindrops _ping!_ off of it and thought of what Claudia would say once she told her about this. She would be _so_ proud of Jessica. Jessica smiled at the thought.

The she thought of what her parents would say and the smile slipped off her face at once. They'd be so disappointed. Her father would be ready to kill and her mother would be so upset she'd probably cry, although she'd never let anyone see her.

And then unwillingly Jessica thought of what Kim would say. She realized with a bit of a shock that she had no idea how her own twin would react if Jessica told her she lost her virginity to a boy she wasn't even officially dating.

Jessica remembered how her and Kim always used to talk about stuff like this. Of how they used to talk at all. She remembered when they used to swear to wait for someone they loved. Jessica didn't even try to fool herself into thinking she loved Dean. She didn't want to think about her family anymore. She didn't want to think about Claudia anymore. She didn't want to think about what she was doing anymore. She especially didn't want to think about Kim.

And realized as Dean's lips found hers once more and his well practiced fingers went to unfasten her bra strap Jessica realized something about herself with a faint trill of shock and surprise.

She didn't want to think at all.

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The rain sounded muted inside the classroom but Kyle could still watch it fall out the window. He placed his chin in his hands and stared out the window not even trying to look like he was paying attention.

The rain was making everything outside muddy and slick and he was sure he wouldn't be able to run home fats enough. Although if Clerk did catch up with him and left anymore bruises he couldn't hide he'd have the perfect excuse this time. It would make perfect sense if he fell out in this weather.

Kyle sighed as he shot a quick glance at the clock. Only five more minutes before the bell rang and the weekend began. He used to love the weekend back when he and Nigel played endless games of cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians. Now though all he had to look forward to was an empty house and a pounding if he was caught on his way home.

Kyle shot a quick look over his shoulder at Clerk and wasn't surprised to find him looking out the window too. Kyle figured he was probably daydreaming about where the punches would hurt Kyle most but would still be easy for Kyle to hide. If Kyle kept coming home with bruises then fingers might eventually point to Clerk.

Or at least that's what Kyle thought he was thinking until he saw Clerk run his hand absentmindedly up his arm accidentally pushing his sleeve up. With a shock Kyle saw bruises that envied the ones on his face around Clerk's wrist. Bruises that looked shockingly like fingerprints…That was all Kyle had time to notice as Clerk looked over and met Kyle's eyes with blue eyes that looked more human then anything Kyle had ever seen.

Then Clerk realized his wrist was showing and shoved his sleeve down and met Kyle's eyes again only looking far more cruel now. Then he mouthed the words "You better run freak." And Kyle swallowed rigidly just as the bell rang echoing throughout the classroom.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora sighed staring out the window at the clear blue sky and pressed her forehead against the window's cool smooth glass.

For a few seconds everything was quite. Bud was at work and it one of those rare days when she got all three kids to take a nap at the same time. Knowing she didn't have much time for herself Nora stared out the window at the green backyard and allowed herself to play with the idea that had been inside her head for quite a while now.

It wouldn't be so bad if she was pregnant would it? She loved children and Bud loved children and they both defiantly loved _their_ children so why not add one more to the family? Besides she wasn't the only one to blame here. It wasn't like she got herself pregnant or they took any precautions against it. At least that's what she told herself to justify the fact that if she was (she could hardly bare to think the word) _pregnant_ it wasn't even that bad.

They were already married and they already had three kids and had gone through two pregnancies. What was one more?

But Nora already knew the answer to that. The problem was that they didn't want anymore kids. They wanted to raise the three they already had and get on with their careers. Nora still hadn't gone back to work after having the twins; she was waiting for them to turn two before she even considered going back to work.

Nora sighed and placed her hand on the glass. She sometimes felt like glass, so easy to see through and so easy to shatter. She closed her eyes against the sudden prick of tears and whispered to herself forcefully "I am _not_ pregnant."

Then a loud cry form the baby monitor alerted her to the twins waking up assuring her that Tom would be up soon. Sighing again she backed away from the glass and ran a hand across her eyes swiping the tears away before forcing on a smile and walking up the stairs to her kids; assuring herself that the faint movements she felt in her stomach were indigestion and nothing more complex then that.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sat at a table in the far corner of the library pouring through a large stack of bulky reference books. He had encyclopedias and dictionaries, thesauruses and psychology books. Books that no seventh grader would ever willingly read. Books that were giving him no help what so ever.

He sighed and closed the book in his hands with a snap. Placing it on the table he leaned back in the chair letting his head fall back and stared at the ceiling in complete anger.

He knew he was being silly even trying to look in any of these books. The assignment was to write about what family meant to him not to look up facts and big words in books that seemed to weigh more then him. Mike stood up angrily and gathered the books in his arms, heading to the nonfiction section to put them away. After he'd shoved them bitterly back into their correct spots so as to avoid the librarian's wrath he stepped back from the shelves and headed to his table to grab his coat. As he walked outside the library he shoved his arms through the sleeves of his hand me down blue jacket and opened the door heading outside, holding it open for an elderly women who smiled down at him in a grandmotherly way as she stepped inside the vast library.

Mike stepped out into the cold sleeting rain feeling it beginning to soak into his jacket and hearing it pound down on his hood. He steeled himself for his long walk home and shoved his hand in the pockets of his jeans as he started off down the side walk; the anger beginning to slowly ebb away only to be replaced with a melancholy sense of remorse at this dumb paper.

He waited at a stoplight to cross the street and looked up to check if he could walk across yet. He didn't see the green walk sign though; instead what he saw, the only things that his eyes could focus on were the two figures across the street.

It was a boy a few years older then him and a small girl who was probably only four or five. They were walking quickly hand in hand down the street but that wasn't what Mike was so captivated by. Nor was it the girl's red hair reminding him of his sisters or the boy's rainbow colored shirt.

It was the fact that the little girl was bundled up in a sweatshirt far too large for her and the fact that the boy was bare sleeved. And as they crossed the street and headed towards Mike he was shocked frozen solid at how when they reached the large puddle by the curb and the little girl made to jump over it (even though it was twice her size) the older boy simply reached down and picked her up as he stepped in the puddle getting his shoes and the hems of his pants soaking wet.

Mike turned and watched their progress down the street feeling some of his worry about his paper start to recede.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The sun had never shone so bright over Lake Winnetka, or at least that was Charlie's opinion. His arms cut through the surface of the lake easily. It was so smooth it was like glass. Every time he came up for air the sun shone happily down upon him, for once not in a cruel beating way. It was as if the whole world was as happy as Charlie was at that moment.

He swam for a few more minutes before flipping over onto his back and staring lazily at the sun a happy smile on his face. He shut his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on his closed lids for a few minutes before water suddenly splashed over his face.

Spluttering he opened his eyes and began to tread water as he looked around for the culprit. Seeing no one he figured that it might just have been a wave from a boat somewhere when arms suddenly flew around his neck and he was shoved under water. Charlie had been swimming for long enough that he didn't panic and open his mouth which would have caused him to loose his precious oxygen. Instead he kept his mouth firmly closed and kicked swiftly upwards.

Once his face broke the surface he took a deep breathe and was about to curse the person who still had their arms around his neck when a familiar soft voice spoke next to his ear.

"Sorry. I didn't scare you to bad did I?"

Charlie had to fight back another brilliant smile at the sound of the voice he'd been thinking of for the last two days. "Not too horribly. Your really not that scary." He reached up for the hands still gently resting on his shoulders and pulled Elizabeth around so that she was in front of him.

"Well darn. There goes my career as a movie monster." She laughed, her blue eyes twinkling delightfully.

Charlie smiled and pulled her closer to his chest. "I wouldn't rule that out just yet. What are you doing out here?" he asked pulling an inch or so back.

"I was out swimming when I saw you floating. I just couldn't resist saying hi. So hi" She explained blushing ever so slightly.

"Hi yourself." Charlie said wrapping his arms around her waist lightly.

Elizabeth looked up at him with her wide blue eyes and couldn't stop the wide smile stretching over her face. And when Charlie leaned down to kiss her tentatively she responded immediately, her arms entwining more tightly around his neck and their legs tangling together in the cold water as the sun shone down upon them.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel held tightly to Caroline's hand as if scared she might disappear at any moment. His mom had taken him to the hospital right after school and he had sat here for the last two hours silent while she slept. Kate was off visiting Caroline's parents. They knew each other from PTA.

Caroline was looking slightly better in Nigel's opinion. Even though her small frail form was still weighed down in casts and bandages a little bit of color had returned to her pale cheeks. Her hands were also slightly less clammy then they had been two days ago. Nigel pulled his feet up onto the chair and looked out of the window.

Very few rooms in the hospital had windows with a good view. Caroline was lucky enough to get one. It faced the hills and even with the rain fogging up the window and blurring everything it was still a beautiful sight.

As if she had heard Nigel's thoughts Caroline opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hi." She said her voice hoarse and barely louder then a whisper.

"Hey." Nigel said before letting go of her hand embarrassed and grabbing the water pitcher on the table next to her bed to fill up a glass. He handed it to her and she drank without question. "Thanks." She said handing in back when it was half full.

She paused for a moment as if thinking of something to saw. "So how was school?" she finally asked looking over at him. Nigel was all set to say that it had been fine, the same answer he had given his mother when she had asked this afternoon but something in her face stopped him.

So instead he moved the uncomfortable chair closer to the bed and pulled his feet up under him. Nervously Caroline reached over and took his hand again. A slight blush on his face Nigel launched into a full play by play report of the school day leaving nothing out from recess when Ingrid Maloy had to go to the nurse with a bloody nose from an ill aimed tetherball to that afternoon when Francis DeMarco had been the only one able to answer all the questions on the math test. For as long as Caroline kept listening Nigel knew that he would keep talking.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Alright you guys let's start it from the top!" Miss Fitzersion called out to the back stage. She sat at a table in front of the first row of seats in the theater. Jake sat backstage and watched as Emmeline, the girl playing Galinda got in her spot on the other side of the stage. Selene was sitting next to him pouring over the song book.

"I can't believe we only have a month left! Oh my gosh I am getting so nervous. How about you?" Selene gushed looking up from the book as the music started over the PA system.

"Hmm?" Jake asked looking over at her before her words registered. "Oh uh yeah." He said looking down at the script in his lap.

"My family is just _so_ excited to see it! I've never been in a musical before." Selene said pulling her knees up to her chest with a huge smile on her face. "How about yours? Are they excited?"

Jake paused as he thought of his large family and how not a single one knew of his involvement with the musical. Then again it wasn't like he had ever made any moves at all to tell them. But with so many of their kids at the same school he figured word would have gotten around.

He had been sneaking off to practices for almost a month now with paper thin excuses and in the light of everything happening with Mark and his parent's involvement with work or the younger kids had never even been questioned. The one good thing about having such a big family was that it was sure easy to hide things. A bit of an oxymoron but Jake lived in a house with eleven other people and he knew that the more people around you the less visible you became. Thus the more you could hide yourself and get away with.

Realizing that his pause was quickly becoming awkwardly long he looked up with a fake plastered on smile that reviled Selene's and said "Their ecstatic."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sarah's breathe came out in small white puffs clearly visible in the pouring rain as she dashed through the empty streets. Her feet pounded rhythmically as she pumped her arms willing her body to go faster.

Her feet flew, barely seeming to touch the ground and she couldn't escape the feeling that she was about to lift off and fly.

The pavement beneath her feet was slick and black as she crossed the street and her feet rejoined the sidewalk. She knew she was being crazy running in this weather, she was asking for a cold at best pneumonia at worst. But still she could not stop as she fought to out run the memories of the day and her encounter with the hockey team's captain.

_Tyler leaned against her locker with such a casual ease that when she saw him standing there after fourth period she was tempted to just turn away and go to her next class without her books. But anyone who knew Sarah knew her two most prominent qualities were strength and stubbornness._

_So she walked to her locker with her head held high and as Tyler pushed off the wall with his foot she opened her locker as he reached over and took her books from her arms._

"_Hey there Sarah. Listen about that opening-" he began without preamble._

_Sarah turned towards him, quickly feeling the beginnings of a fire of rage filling her. "You don't want me to try out do you? Don't want me to ruin my 'pretty face'?" she asked not bothering to keep the bitter mocking edge from her voice._

_Tyler smiled, flashing her a set of brilliant white teeth. "Well if it was up to me yeah it would be like that. However the coach wants you to try out now. Saw you practicing I guess." He delivered a well rehearsed shrug here, attempting to look casual. "I mean it's your choice Sarah but let me warn you, we get tough out there." His eyes met hers and she could see the real truth behind his words. Things would get tough for __**her**__ out there._

"_I know how to take care of myself." Sarah said her chin sticking up defensively._

"_Do you?" his eyes locked onto hers and she felt a squeeze of unease in her gut. Then he took a step forward and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "After all pretty girls so rarely do." Then he placed his hand on her backside and pinched her. She raised her hands to his chest and shoved him backwards but he barely moved an inch._

"_Tomorrow at practice we'll see just how tough you are. I hope you have a little bit more to your game then that." He smirked then turned and walked away leaving Sarah boiling in shame and anger._

She'd been running for the last hour trying to outrun his smirk and his double words. She pushed her feet farther and faster knowing all she was doing was getting herself worn out and sick but she couldn't bring herself to stop. As the rain pelted down unforgivingly on her body all she could think of was that if she pushed herself just a little bit more, ran just a little bit faster then her feet would really lift off the ground and she could just fly away.

But since she wasn't deluded enough to believe this to be possible Sarah kept running to prove to herself that she could.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The warmth of Pip's house was unnatural yet it somehow seemed comfortable not to mention fit him perfectly. As did his yellow room where every inch of every wall was covered in posters, stickers or sheet music. Almost everything in his room was music related, apart from the furniture. Henry sat in a folding butterfly chair that was a deep blue while Pip sat cross legged on his pink bedspread each holding a game controller.

"I can't believe you still have a Nintendo." Henry said awed as he pressed the B button quickly to stop Yoshi from spinning out as he ran over a banana peel.

"Are you kidding? It's the only game system worth playing!" Pip gushed as he leaned in the direction he steered Toad. Henry laughed and kept his attention on the screen for the next few moments before they both made to cross the finish line to secure themselves first and second place but just as they were about to cross it Browser came up from behind them and sped over the line seconds before they did.

"What! Foul! That was so totally bogus!" Pip cried throwing his control down on the bed next to him in mock disgust. "Thinks because he looks tougher then everybody he can just push us around!" Pip flopped onto his back on his bed and stared up at his ceiling. "Just like those damn football players." He sighed

Henry was quite for a moment, thinking. He had a feeling that by the way Pip said that he was still thinking back on the time they had accosted them and accused them of being gay for each other. Henry thought back to that day and how much fun him and Pip had had, how he'd never once looked around to scan the area for friends or pretty girls. How he'd never had a reason to. With a bit less of a shock then he'd have expected Henry realized he never really checked out girls. Never had. And he'd always noticed what guys were attractive before he noticed girls…Henry quickly shook his head to block out those thoughts.

Even if he was (he internally cringed at the word) _gay_ this was not the time to think about it. He would be to easily swayed to tell Pip before he was sure or not of where his feelings lay. He was just so confused. He didn't know what was what anymore.

It was like he was drowning in the rain outside, having no idea which way was up.

"Oh well." Pip said suddenly, sitting up and breaking Henry out of his thoughts. "The bigger ones always do like to show their muscles off. Not that anyone wants to see them." Here he rolled his eyes and Henry had to fight back the sudden urge to get up and sit on the bed with him.

Feeling like he ought to say something Henry cast his eyes around the room for something meaningful to say before finally settling for "Want a rematch?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Even with the rain pounding down on the ground it was quiet. Or as quiet as it ever got for Kim. She lay on her back in the park in the middle of the field middle scholars usually used for soccer. Not that she knew that from playing. She had never been invited to play when she was younger, kids often found her to be to smart and intimidating. Not to mention that Jessica and her were a bit of a package deal in those days. And back then Kim didn't mind. Until they'd reached high school they never needed anyone but each other. That is until Jessica met Claudia.

Kim rued the day they had placed Jessica in a separate English class, the one with Claudia. Their test scores had caused Kim to be in regular Honors English will Jessica was bumped up to AP Advanced English.

It was just another sign to show everyone who the better twin was.

Kim shut her eyes and let the rain fall onto her face, pooling on her eyelids and around her nose. She kept perfectly still, her body splayed over the ground her hair strewn about almost as if she had fallen from a great height and landed in that spot.

And in a way Kim supposed it was true. She may not have fallen in this spot but she had fallen.

Fallen long and hard.

She opened her eyes and stared up at the dark swirling storm clouds above her wishing for thunder to drown out her thoughts, wishing for lightning to show her the truth. Wishing for sunshine so she could be happy. For the first time in a long long time.

But Kim was old enough by now to know that wishing never did anyone any good. She reached into the pocket of her hand me down jeans, once Lorraine's, and pulled out a razor blade she had stolen from Henry's shaving kit.

She twirled the small silver blade in front of her eyes watching as the rain quickly made it slick and shiny. She held it in one hand and pushed up her left sleeve with the other. She lifted the razor once more and placed its side to her lips softly, in a way that she imagined someone would give their first kiss, not that she'd know.

Her mind drifted to all the things she'd missed out on, on all the things that she'd lost. Determined not to lose anymore she closed her eyes and let her hand drift automatically towards her wrist not needing sight to see were it would hurt the most with the least amount of blood. She drew the razor over and over again across her wrist, the direction and numbers blurring as she let her mind drift towards the comfortable thought of a pain that she controlled.

Eventually she stopped and replaced the razor in her pocket. For once she didn't bother to roll down her sleeve. She just lay in her wet muddy clothes and let her soaked red hair fan out around her. And as her eyes drifted shut and a strand of red hair fell across her face, the blood from her wrist mixed with the rain and flowed everywhere.

If anyone had been directly above her and looked down they could have only compare her to one thing. A fallen angel.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kate sat at the dinner table and gazed around at all the empty chairs. She'd made a nice dinner and for what? Herself, Nigel, Kyle and Mark. Tom was at work and everyone else was out with friends or had just not come home at all with no explanation of their whereabouts.

Kate sighed and placed he head in her hands wondering how in a family so big one could still feel so alone.


	12. Chapter 7

Author's Note- Agh! I'm so sorry I am the worst updater ever! Hopefully this chapter will appease you somewhat. What it lacks in length it makes up for in drama. This is a very important chapter and I bet your all just dying to read it so I'll let you get to it!

Chapter 7

Kyle wasn't used to being faced with such a huge dilemma. In fact he was angry that he was having too. He was only ten years old; he wasn't emotionally, mentally or physically adapted to handle this.

Not to mention he wasn't mature enough.

It was Saturday morning and he was sitting on the hallway window seat, his knees cradled to his chest. The seat was smaller then it was the last time he sat on it; he noted somewhere in the back of his mind. But it didn't change his central focus.

He had thought of almost nothing else since Wednesday, the day he saw the bruises on Clerk's wrist. He was almost certain that they had come from someone grabbing his wrist, roughly.

But Kyle didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't even tell people that he himself was being bullied, how on earth could he tell people that the same bully who tormented him was in fact being pushed around by somebody else.

Kyle leaned his head against the wall behind him. Life was very complicated indeed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The view outside of Loraine's fifth floor walk up was awful. It showed the building right next to hers, in all of its gray dirty brick glory. But despite this fact Loraine had been staring out of it for the last two hours as if it were the most fascinating view in the world.

She was sitting on her beat up navy blue love seat, feet curled up underneath her, holding a chipped mug of long cold tea. She was in old sweats and her face was clear of make-up, her hair a wild tangle around her head. And yet she'd never felt more beautiful.

Her back was warm where it was pressed into the solid warmth behind her. A hand was stroking her hair softly, its fingers twisting absentmindedly in her blonde locks. The TV was playing an old black and white movie but neither Loraine nor her guest was watching it.

"Your hair is so soft." A delightful male voice whispered in her ear. She shivered as the warm breathe caressed it.

"Conditioner." She replied looking up sideways to gaze at him.

Quincy Arvens looked so good in pajamas it should be illegal. Lorraine mused to herself. He was wearing a pair of plaid pajama bottoms that had once been her brothers and an old paint splattered T-shirt. His dark brown hair was rumpled and his dark eyes were half lidded in tiredness.

"I'll have to steal yours. Guys wouldn't be able to keep their hands off me if my hair was this soft." Quincy mused to himself, looking down at Loraine at where she leaned against his chest and smiled sleepily.

Loraine smiled back at him then turned to look out her window again, biting down on the inside of her cheek and fighting of the urge to cry. _Remember he likes girls too._ She thought to herself.

Quincy leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I told you a sleepover was a good idea." He said stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Well technically we didn't sleep." Loraine said shifting so she was more comfortable against him.

"No three cups of coffee and Brad Pitt movies will do that to you." Quincy remarked throwing an arm around her shoulder.

Loraine felt the spark of hope ignite inside her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Urgh." Sarah sat up slowly on the couch, her muscles were sore and her body bruised. The hockey team had been sparing no hits when it came to her. But that was okay, Sarah hated being treated special. She wanted to be treated like one of the guys, one of the team. Which she was, despite almost everyone's resentment.

She had done well at her tryout, no she had done great. The coach told her after practice, as she was leaving the girls locker room, hair still wet, that she had made the team. Then he threw a practice jersey at her (number 34) and went back into his office.

Luckily no one else was there to see Sarah's dance of happiness.

When she had shown up at the next practice her team mates were not pleased. They had thought they would only have to deal for her for one practice. As a way to placate her after all the racket she'd created at not being able to tryout.

When she stepped onto the ice Tyler skated foreword pulling his helmet off in disbelief. "Coach what gives!" he'd yelled and the coach had simply barked for him to get back in line.

Only one person seemed even remotely pleased about her being on the team, besides Sarah herself.

It was a boy with light brown hair. He'd come up to her after practice and they skated side by side off the ice.

"I knew you'd make it." He'd said evenly and she turned to stare up at him.

He had light brown eyes that almost matched his hair and he was much taller then her.

"Did you?" she asked using amusement to hide her pain. These boys had no qualms about hitting a women who thought she'd play rough house with the boys.

"Yeah, you're way to good to just sit on the sidelines." He turned to go to the locker room then. "Although I so beat you." With that he turned and walked away.

Sarah stared after him in confusion for a moment before she recognized his voice, it was the boy she'd played one on one with a few days ago.

Sarah stood up off of the couch and started for the kitchen. She was always hungry now. Hungry and sore.

But that was okay because she knew the price she'd pay when she first stepped out onto the ice.

Or at least, she thought she did.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The ceiling in the doctor's office was a very ugly green. Nora couldn't help but wonder why anyone would paint their ceiling at all, let alone that shade of green. It was almost the shade of pea soup. It made Nora feel even sicker just by looking at it.

But she'd been nausea for almost four weeks now. She couldn't exactly blame the whirlwind in her stomach on the ceiling. Although it certainly was helping.

She moved her head sideways and instead stared at the wall, also the same ugly green. Sighing she closed her eyes and waited for the doctor to come in with her test results.

"Mrs. Hawthron" The doctor shook her arm lightly.

Nora opened her eyes confused. "What-"she began before she realized she was still lying on the table in the doctor's office and that she must have fallen asleep. "Oh I'm sorry; I've just been so tired lately."

"It's perfectly alright." The doctor gave her a friendly smile. "I'm going to have to ask you to schedule an appointment to get some blood work done."

Nora frowned. "Is there a problem?" she asked her hand moving uncjonsicly to her stomach.

"Well we are not quite certain of that yet." Nora's faced blanched. The doctor put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's more of a precaution really." The doctor her voice lowered in a gentle tone.

"Is something wrong with my baby?" Nora whispered, fear gripping her in icy cold clutches.

The doctors gray eyebrows bunched together. "Mrs. Harthron you're not pregnant."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hospitals had a strange smell about them. Nigel couldn't quite place it. It was like hand sanitizer and sick all at the same time. That and really bad hospital food.

He was sitting next to Caroline's bed as he had for the past few days, just sitting, not even talking.

Nigel always felt much older when he was sitting in here. He supposed because older people were always so quite.

They had the TV on and it was making endless streams of noise that neither he nor Caroline were listening too. He supposed it was good to have background noise anyway.

They both just sat there, not looking at each other, not speaking. But strangely Nigel didn't feel the need to.

It made him feel immeasurably old and impossibly young at the same time.

He knew he was treading in waters that he had no way to learn the depths off. But he just sat and held Caroline's hand and waited for his mother to get him when visiting hours were over.

And he couldn't think of a single way he'd rather spend the day.

A fact that scared and excited him greatly.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry stared at his reflection in the mirror. His reflection stared back.

"I am not gay." He whispered, the water running from the sink covering the sound of his voice. He had been standing here repeating this mantra to himself for almost twenty minutes.

And it still wasn't working.

Henry stared into his reflection's eyes and he could see the lies there.

He didn't like girls, he never check them out like other boys his age. He wasn't like Jake who would always talk about hot girls. Henry had always assumed it was just because he was shy or a late bloomer. But now he was finally able to understand.

He didn't check out girls because he didn't like girls.

He didn't talk about pretty girls because he wasn't attracted to girls.

He never hit on girls because he didn't _want_ girls.

He liked boys.

He was attracted to boys.

He _wanted_ boys.

He was…

"I'm gay." Henry whispered his eyes not wavering as he stared into the mirror.

Somehow saying it aloud made it all the more real.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Charlie hummed quietly to himself as he cleaned his house. It was quite a chore considering that he hadn't cleaned in over a month. In all honesty he wouldn't be cleaning now but Elizabeth was coming over for dinner. He wanted her first visit to his house to be a success and for that to happen his house couldn't be the dirty disaster that it was now.

His humming intensified as he picked up old newspapers to throw away. He turned back to his now clean coffee table and stopped dead, his hum dying mind tune in his throat.

Sitting on his coffee table looking deceptively innocent was a red jewelry box. Charlie sank down onto the couch and ran a hand through his hair.

He leaned over and picked up the box, thumbing it open to look at the shining diamond ring inside it.

He sighed and flopped his head back to stare at the ceiling.

He didn't miss Anne, he really didn't. But he was worried that maybe he was moving to fast with Elizabeth.

She made him immeasurably happy. He could never remember a person making him happier then she did. All he wanted to do anymore was be with her. When he saw funny things he thought of how her eyes would dance with he told her later. When they were apart he missed her soft voice, her creamy skin, her sweet smell.

And it scared the hell out of him.

He'd never felt this way for another woman. Not even close.

And he was terrified because when he saw that ring box sitting on his coffee table it wasn't Anne that he first thought of.

It was Elizabeth.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"You know the kids have been really great these past few days." Kate said as she sat in bed reading.

"Hmm." Tom nodded, his eyebrows wrinkled as he stared at a complicated play he had drawn in front of him. Frowning he erased something off the white clipboard with his thumb.

"No really." Kate pressed. "They've all been in good moods and behaving. There hasn't been a fight in what? Four days?"

"A new record." Tom said offhandedly.

Kate sighed and picked up her book again.

She didn't know why she talked to him while he was doing plays.

Suddenly Tom put down his clipboard. "No you're right, they have been good. I wonder what their up to." He mused chewing on the end of his marker.

"Why do you always expect the worst from them?" Kate sighed.

"Because you always expect the best." Tom gave her a smile to show he was kidding.

"Well they are the best children out there." Kate said leaning against him.

"They really are." Tom put his arm around her and planted a light kiss on her hair.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica's feet hit the ground softly and she put her hands on her knees to catch her balance as she wobbled dangerously. She stared up at her bedroom window and smirked. Sneaking out of a house with eleven people in it was quite an accomplishment.

She slunk around to the front gate and quietly opened it just a crack. She slipped through it and staying in the shadows ran down the street to where Claudia was waiting in her car, the engine's purr and Jessica's footsteps the only sounds on the quite street.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake wasn't exactly sure how he got into this. He knew that after rehearsal he had gone with some of the cast to iHop. After all pancakes always tasted good, especially after singing for three hours. The next thing he knew they were pulling him into a karaoke bar and he was being shoved onstage with Selene.

His cast mates were cheering them on, and Jake glanced nervously at Selene.

"I'm game if you are." She said with a shrug, running her tongue over her lips lightly.

Jake swallowed and looked out at the crowd. Some where looking at them curiously but most people didn't even glance their way. What did he have to lose? He had to get used to singing in front of people soon anyway. He nodded and Selene beamed at him before picking a song.

They sang and it was so easy for Jake to slip into the music. He forgot everything: the play, his friends, the cast, the fact that people were watching, his family, Tommy, everything.

Everything but Selene and the music.

When the song finally stopped the applause was loud. Jake looked out at the crowd and found that every single person in the room was looking at them, and smiling.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

There was a lot of blood. Kim could hardly believe that so much blood could come from one cut. She was sitting in the bathroom, her arm held over the sink staring in fascination at the blood.

Jessica had woke her up sneaking out, she was lucky Sarah didn't wake up. But Sarah was dead to the world right now because hockey made her so tired.

Kim wasn't going to rat Jessica out, Jessica hated her enough as it was. Kim wondered if maybe that was Jessica's plan or if maybe she didn't care if she got caught.

Either way Kim had got sick of staring at the ceiling above her and gone to the bathroom to get rid of some of her stress and tension.

The cut was very deep this time. It was on her left forearm, half way between wrist and elbow. And there was so much blood.

It was all over the place and Kim let it keep flowing. It was like the blood had broken through a barrier and was rushing to be free. Kim wished she could do the same.

Sighing Kim picked up a white washcloth and began to put pressure on the cut, something she'd never had to do before. She wondered where Jessica was but she was fairly certain that wherever it was, Jessica was having far more fun then her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I can't believe you whimped out." Claudia scolded her as they sat on the couch in Heather Murson's house, holding plastic cups full of beer.

"It just didn't feel like the right time." Jessica evaded shifting nervously.

"You can't just let a guy think your going to have sex with him and then just stop. It hurts them okay?" Claudia explained putting her arm around Jessica.

"We we did other stuff." Jessica said blushing, cursing her red headness as she did so.

"Oh?" Claudia pulled away from her and smiled coyly. "You go to third?" Jessica blushed deeper and nodded. "Well good job girl, I'm proud of you. Oh here comes your boy now. Don't chicken out this time." Claudia warned before getting off the couch and walking away as Dean entered the room.

He staggered slightly before falling into the seat next to Jessica. "Hey baby." He smiled crookedly. Jessica could smell the booze on him.

"Wanna go someplace more private?" he asked trailing a hand up her thigh. She glanced across the room to see Claudia nodding vigorously.

Jessica downed the rest of her beer before taking a deep breath and grabbing Dean's hand, standing up. "Let's go upstairs."

And as she led him upstairs among catcalls she wondered if she knew what she was getting into but knew that it was to late.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Dude whose house is this?" Mark asked Dodge as they entered a large house on the outskirts of town, packed full of swaying drunken people. Mark could smell their sweat, but he could also smell weed and booze so he was okay with that.

"I dunno Helen or something." Dodge said as he led Mark to the kitchen. They quickly grabbed beer from the diminishing supply and went into the crowded front room. Mark heard catcalls as a couple slipped upstairs but he was to busy downing his drink to pay attention.

"Fuck I need something stronger." He said to himself.

"I can give you something stronger." A voice spoke in his ear.

It was boy, about two years older then Mark, with spiky black hair and cold green eyes.

"No thanks man I don't roll that way." Mark said turning around.

The boy laughed. "No dipshit. I have drugs." The last word he whispered into Mark's ear.

"Oh?" Mark slid his eyes over to the boy's. The boy smiled coyly.

"Come on, first ones free." With that he slipped into a side room off the hall and Mark cast a quick look over his shoulder before following after him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike was up way past his bedtime. He didn't know where Mark was but the empty bed kept glowering at him.

He pulled out his notebook and turned on his desk lamp deciding that as long as he was awake he might as well work on his paper.

_Family_. He chewed on his eraser thoughtfully.

Words suddenly came to him and he began to write.

_Your family is the people that are involved in your life that you don't get to choose. _

Across town in a house full of people Mark locked the door behind him and sat on the floor next to a low slung coffee table. The boy in front of him was pouring a white substance onto the table and arranging it into two careful neat lines.

_The people that are there for you, whether you like it or not. _

Nigel, who had been tossing and turning all night, rolled over to see that his brother was still awake, staring at the ceiling. Nigel leaned down and picked a dirty sock off the floor and threw it at Kyle. It bounced off Kyle's head and he turned and smiled at Nigel, that was their way of saying that they were there for each other.

_They're the people that wait up for you at night, not because you want them to but because they want to make sure you get home safe. _

Mike cast a look at the clock, it was well after two in the morning and still no sign of Mark. He kept writing.

_They're the people that love you. _

Kate rolled over in her sleep and put her arm around Tom's waist, he was snoring but he still uncosdnisly put his arm around her.

_The people that are there for you._

Nora lay in bed looking across at Bud, Tom in the middle between them and Judith and Henrietta. She laid a hand on her stomach; worried as the whirlwind started.

_They are the people that support you._

Henry lay on his bed and stared at his ceiling, the words "I'm gay" playing on repeat through his mind.

_The people that care for you. _

Loraine sat in Starbucks drinking her coffee. She glanced over at Quincy when he was without customers and he caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back.

_The people who would fight for you._

Jessica pulled Dean's shirt off him quickly, wanting to get the whole thing over with as quick as possible.

_Even though they fight with you._

Sarah rolled over in her sleep and clutched her blanket tighter to her.

_They're the people that get the first rows in weddings._

Slowly Charlie got down on one knee and stared up at Elizabeth as she raised a hand to her mouth in surprise, tears shining in her blue eyes.

_And funerals._

Kim held the now red washcloth to her arm and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The blood wouldn't stop and she was beginning to feel dizzy.

_They're the people you can't get rid of._

Jake lay on his back and kept his eyes closed, replaying the faces of all those people who'd smiled and clapped when he'd sung. He could hear Henry breathing and knew he was awake too. He decided he had to tell his family at one point, to see if they'd clap for him too.

"Henry." Jake whispered.  
"Hmm?" came the very much awake reply.

"I'm the male lead in Wicked." Jake whispered, eyes still closed.

There was a pause. "I'm gay."

Jake's eyes snapped open.

_No matter how much you might want to._

Jessica couldn't believe how much pain there was. She'd been told it hurt but no said it would hurt this _bad_. She bit her lip against the cry of pain and dug her nails into Dean's back to make him feel some of the pain that was ripping her apart.

_Your family is the people who will always be there._

The silence in their room was deafening.

"You'll always be my brother, no matter who you like." Jake whispered into the darkness, turning his head to look at Henry.

The moonlight shining though their window allowed him to make out the relief on Henry's face.

"And you'll always be my brother, even if you can't sing."

_No matter what happens._

Mark held the rolled up dollar over the one line of white powder. He hesitated and cast a look up at the black haired boy. The boy nodded smiling a goofy grin.

Mark brought his nose to the dollar and snorted.

_No matter what._

Author's Note 2- Yeah told you it was dramatic! Although the end of this chapter wasn't the usual style for this fic I think it fit quite nicely. In fact I kind of liked it. Oh and I have excellent news, I finally have a chapter layout! It only took me half way through the story to do so too! So no promises on updating, we all know I'm horrible about it. I apologize again for that. But hey who knows, maybe the chapters will come out quicker now. I also just got a laptop which I'm ecstatic about and I've even got lists off all my OCs in this story. I was getting confused. So as always tips and ideas are welcome and by all means REVIEW!


	13. Chapter 8

AN- Forgot to mention last chapter, when Mike's writing his essay the line about 'Family being the people who get front row at weddings and funerals.' Is from Sarah Dessen's book Lock and Key. I' telling you when I say I own nothing I mean _nothing_.

Chapter 8

The sun was shining warm and unrelentlessly threw the cracks in the blinds. Jake groaned and turned to bury his face into his pillow. But it was no use. He sat up and the smell of coffee assaulted his nostrils as he rubbed a hand groggily across his face. Hearing a noise from the next bed he looked over and saw Henry was waking up as well. A few more seconds later he remembered the conversation they had had the night before.

Jake looked at his older brother but didn't see any noticeable sign that would give away his sexual orientation. Jake meant what he had said the night before. It made no difference to him if Henry liked boys, girls, or both. Suddenly a thought occurred to Jake.

"Henry." He said turning to place his feet on the worn carpeted floor.

"Hmm." Henry mumbled rolling over to face Jake and look at him with half lidded eyes.

"Am I-" Jake paused to lick his suddenly dry lips. "Am I the only one in the family you've told?" He didn't need to specify what he'd been told.

Henry's eyes gained a little bit more focus. "You're the only person I've told." He propped himself up on one elbow, the pillow creases on his face and mussed hair did not diffuse the seriousness from the conversation.

"You didn't tell Charlie first?" Jake was honestly surprised. Henry and Charlie had perhaps the closest brother bond after Nigel and Kyle, and as those two had shared a womb they were a tough pair to beat.

Henry turned his eyes to the floor, shaking his head. "I don't know how he'll react." He mumbled a little sheepishly.

Jake was confused. "It won't change anything Henry. He's your brother, he loves you."

Henry looked over at him and could see the sincerity with Jake felt this. "How can you be so sure?" He hadn't meant to ask that. Hadn't meant to ask his younger brother to reassure him. But he needed reassurances from someone.

"I still do." Jake said, shrugging his shoulders in a casual air.

Henry blushed and looked down at his bedding. "Have you told anyone about your after school activities?" he asked to change the subject.

It was Jake's turn to look down. "Uh no." he gave a nervous half laugh. "It must seem silly to you that I can't bring myself to tell them its just-"he paused not quit able to find the words.

Henry nodded. "I know."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before there was a knock on their door and their mother's voice called through the door as she made her rounds down the hallway. "Breakfast!"

Henry and Jake stood up and looked at each other. They both knew a secret about the other that no one else in the family did. It was a stronger bond they'd had then ever before.

Jake half smiled and lightly punched Henry's shoulder before racing to the door, not fast enough to miss Henry's light blow on his back.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By the time the whole family was seated at the table Kate was throwing toast and bacon at people. Gunner was hiding under the table hoping for scrapes or dropped food. Tom was sipping on a cup of black coffee and Mark was sitting at the end of the table staring out the window; his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the table and slipping his food to Gunner, not even pretending to eat anything.

Jessica sat twirling a spoon around her cereal, wearing baggy pajamas with her hair pulled back in a messy bun. Her face devoid of make-up she looked more like herself then she had in months.

Nigel and Kyle were both happily eating and oblivious to Kim who sat besides them slipping bacon to Gunner who was having himself quite a feast under the table, darting between Mark and Kim. Kim was bundled in a gray sweatshirt that hung down over her hands.

Mike sat with his eyes drooping closed over his cereal. Sarah sat next to him eating quietly and trying not to move her sore body too much. Henry and Jake sat next to each other in companionable silence as they ate.

Kate finished handing out everyone else's food and began to eat her own breakfast as Mark suddenly stood up.

The family glanced over at him then back to their food. Except for Tom who watched Mark over the top of his newspaper.

"Something wrong Mark?" Tom asked, much more watchful of his son's behavior after the fighting/marijuana accident.

Mark swallowed loudly, scratching his arm quickly. "Not hungry. I'm going upstairs." He turned and made to leave but was stopped by Kate at the other end of the table.

She placed a hand on his forehead.

"Are you feeling alright sweetheart? You're awfully clammy." She removed her hand to look at his face but he darted his eyes away and pulled out of her grip.

"Might be coming down with something. Better stay away from everyone else, don't want to get them all sick." He spoke quickly, and left in a rush to get upstairs.

Kate and Tom exchanged a look.

"He must have that bug that's going around." Jessica said watching the door Mark had left through curiously.

"There's a bug going around?" Kate said almost with relief as she sat down again.

Jessica shrugged her shoulders unconcernedly. "A few girls at school have been sick." She said distantly.

Kim snorted and slipped Gunner another piece of bacon. Just then Nigel moved to grab more juice and hit her arm. She sucked in a breath through her teeth as she tried not to wince.

"Everything alright sweetie?" Kate asked looking up from her part of the paper.

Kim thought about putting on a false smile but decided against it. It had been so long since she had smiled the result would probably be grotesque. "Everything's great Mother." She said in as sincere a voice as she could manage; not noticing Jessica's questioning eyes on her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel and Kyle were running around outside, playing a combination of applesmear and tag. The sun was out and the day was rather warm for late October. Kate sat outside reading a book and sneaking looks at her youngest set of twins and thinking of how great it was to see them playing like actual kids again. They'd both been acting far to grown up for her like lately.

Sarah stepped outside then, letting the door fall shut behind her. Kate turned to look at her daughter and took in her clothing.

"Going for a run sweetie?" she asked placing her book in her lap.

Sarah nodded shaking her limbs. "Yeah, hopefully I'll run some of this soreness off."

"Alright don't strain anything." Kate said with a frown, her daughter playing such a rough sport wasn't exactly something she enjoyed but it made Sarah and Tom happy so she didn't say anything about her worries.

Sarah nodded and started off down the stairs and Kate returned to watching her boys play.

Sarah ran down the streets at half her normal pace. She took a familiar two mile route that she ran three times a week. She was about half way done when someone called her name from a house across the street. She looked but didn't slow. It was a boy from her hockey team, the only nice one.

He was watering a green front lawn but as he saw her he yelled something at the open garage and tossed the hose down in the yard before checking the street and sprinting to catch up with her.

"The way you kept running could almost be taken as a bad sign." He said as he matched her pace easily.

"Bad sign for what?" Sarah asked, not breathing hard at all.

"For what I'm about to ask you." He let the subtexts behind that hang in the air a few minutes before Sarah finally rolled her eyes and gave in and asked the question she knew he wanted her too.

"Which is what?"

"What are you doing Friday night?" he asked stepping off the curb to go make room for a woman walking her small dog.

"Do you always answer a question with another question?" she sighed glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He gave her a crooked half smile that almost made her lose her footing. "I don't even know your name." she admitted sheepishly.

"What? After all the times we've shared? I'm hurt, really." He mocked with that same half smile in place before stopping and grabbing her hand to stop her in her tracks too. "James Ainsly at your service." He bent to press a kiss on her hand while staring into her eyes. Sarah blushed and pulled her hand from his grip.

"Pick me up at seven." Was all she said as she turned and resumed her earlier pace.

Had she glanced back she would have seen James's face break into a ridiculous smile as he turned in the opposite direction and ran back to his lawn.

Once Sarah had rounded the corner she leaned shakily against a telephone pole. She'd just been asked out on her first ever date.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Well of course it hurt! What did you expect?" Claudia's voice rang out chidingly from Jessica's cell phone where it was crooked between her ear and shoulder.

She stood in the bathroom fully naked staring into the floor length mirror, twisting to look at herself from every angle.

"I knew it would hurt. But it, it just hurt a lot more then I imagined is all." Jessica said quietly, lifting her hand to hold her phone as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder at the mirror.

Claudia's dervish laughter rang sourly in her ear. "Oh sweetie your so naïve. It gets better. Just wait till next time. Oh I have to go, Luke's here. Bye!"

The phone went dead in Jessica's hand.

She clicked it shut then stared at it in her palm. She turned to face herself in the mirror again.

Her body was still in the middle of so many changes, not quite a woman but defiantly not a child. As she stared at herself Jessica realized what it was that was bothering her so much.

She really did not want a next time.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora stood in the kitchen staring out the window to the backyard without really seeing it.

She wasn't pregnant. As much as she had not wanted to be it still came as such a shook. She almost felt as if she had lost something precious.

Plus there was the worry. If she wasn't pregnant then what was wrong with her? Why did certain smells make her nauseas? Why was she so often sick in the mornings? Why was there constantly a roller coaster in her stomach?

She wouldn't know any of these answers until the results for the blood work came in on Friday. Until then she just had to wait.

Nora placed both hands flat on her stomach feeling the roller coaster hit its first loop.

What if Friday was too late?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry sat in Pip's poster covered room, nervously twisting his hands together. Once again he was not here to practice the saxophone. He was here to hang out with Pip, and if he could gather up the courage, to tell him that he was gay.

Pip was just as cheerful as he always was, chatting away about something or other. Henry only nodded and made vague comments when he thought was necessary. He didn't even notice when Pip stopped talking he just kept staring at a poster of Led Zepplin.

"Henry what planet are you on today?" Pip said conversationally, plopping down on his side on his tie died covered bed.

"Oh sorry." Henry said blushing as he realized he was being caught daydreaming.

Pip gave him a 'no big deal' shrug then smiled mischievously. "What's got your head in the clouds today? A girl?"

Henry looked over at Pip, at his long body stretched out over the covers and gave a small scoff under his breath. "Far from it."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The small diamond inset on the thin gold band sparkled as it caught the sunlight that seeped through the window.

Elizabeth sat on the couch, her feet tucked up underneath her and leaning against Charlie's chest. She held her hand in front of her turning it this way and that to catch the light.

Charlie leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"We are the stupidest people in the world." Elizabeth commented in a voice that showed she had already accepted this fact. Charlie made an affirmative noise from where his face was buried in her hair. "We've known each other maybe two weeks, we met drunk, in a _bar_. And this ring was intended for another woman, the woman who is the reason you were drunk in the bar in the first place."

Charlie pulled back and wrapped his arm around her waist. "When you say it like that we should almost thank her for leading me to you." He mumbled in her ear.

She shoved him lightly with her shoulder.

"We're really getting married." Elizabeth said turning to look at him.

Charlie nodded. "I never ask things I don't want to know the answer to. And I never ask to do things that I don't want to do."

Elizabeth stared hard at the ring on her finger for a minute. "When?"

Charlie's brow furrowed. "What?"

"When do you want to get married?" She explained, unable to tear her eyes from the ring.

"Well that depends on how many people you want to invite. We do have to plan a whole wedding; I've heard it takes a while." He brushed her hair of her neck and kissed her shoulder lightly. She shivered slightly.

"We could make it easier." Elizabeth turned to meet his eyes.

"How?" he asked his brow furrowing again.

"We could elope."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sat staring out the window at the blue sky and bright sun, tapping his pencil on his desk absentmindedly. His paper was almost finished, he'd tapped into his creative juices last night it seemed. He just needed it proof read but he wasn't going to ask anyone in his family to do it.

After all it was sort of about them.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, twisting so it would revolve slightly. He brought his pencil to his lips and chewed on the end softly. He hoped his family never had to read this. They wouldn't like the way that he had portrayed them in this.

He had erased away all of their disguise, took them off their pedestals and went straight to their very core in this essay. There was no mask, no dark corners to hide in, not once you were on paper.

He sighed again as he read the words on the page once more, looking for mistakes. He had changed parts of it this morning once he had woken up and was actually satisfied with the results. This paper deserved an A, he was sure of it. As long as he got someone to check the spelling.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake lay on his back, his arm propped under his head as he looked up into the blazing blue sky above him. The grass under him was dying, barely holding onto its last bit of green as winter approached with surprising speed.

"That one looks like a dragon." A voice said next to him, a thin arm pointing up to the sky.

Jake followed the finger to the cloud directed. "More like a lion." He said turning his head to the side.

"What? No! That is totally a dragon. You just have to kind of twist your head to the side and squint." The girl persisted.

Jake rolled his eyes as he looked over at her. "Sure Selene, just like a dragon." He humored her.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just saying that to appease me." She crossed her arms over her chest in mock anger.

"Appease? Who's been paying attention in class?" Jake teased. She shot him a slight glare before rolling over onto her stomach.

"You tell your family yet?" she asked twirling grass between her fingers.

"Tell them what?" Jake resumed staring at the sky trying to pretend he didn't know what she was talking about.

"About the musical! I know you haven't told them. I just don't get why." She threw a few pieces of grass at him but he simply brushed them off his shirt.

"Its complicated." He told the sky.

Suddenly his vision of the sky was obscured as Selene leaned over him, her long hair falling onto his face. "Try me."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Loraine sat at her kitchen table taping her pen against the rim of her coffee cup anxiously.

She was confused, a little hurt, and a lot dejected. She had never chased after a guy that she didn't get, mostly because she hadn't done most of the chasing. She had always been chased, not the chaser. She was going off on another tangent though.

She ran a hand through her long blonde hair wondering when the last time she got her hair cut had been. She had lost track of herself, spending all her time fawning over Quincy. Who was gay and never going to like her back, she had to keep reminding herself. Sighing she let her head fall into her hands. She hated this. How could one guy send her back to feeling like she was in grade school? She thought about him all the time and he was in her system like a drug.

She was way to into a guy who had no intention of liking her back.

Loraine stared at her coffee before downing it in two gulps and standing to grab her keys and coat. She was going to get her hair done and forget about Quincy Arvens for that day if it killed her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kim walked along the streets with her hands shoved in her sweater pockets. It was a nice day but that didn't stop her need for a sweater. The cut from the night before was wrapped in an ace bandage and still bled from time to time. It was getting on Kim's nerves.

Her one release was annoying her. She was worried the time had finally come when she need a new release. But what else was there that she could do?

She had found the answer when Mark accidentally dropped it on his way down stairs. It was a green bic light.

Kim stopped walking once she got to the park. It was crowded but that was okay. There would be no blood with this so people weren't likely to notice. She sat on a bench a few yards away from people and looked around at all the happy people. There were kids playing on the toys, screeching with laughter. Parents gossiping with each other over the shrieks of their children. Couples enjoying time outside with each other. There was a particular couple that stuck in Kim's mind, mostly because it involved her brother. He was half laying, half sitting next to girl with long hair and their faces were so close they'd probably be kissing soon. Kim stood up and left the park, its happiness shattered by her lack of knowledge about her own family. She hadn't known Jake had a girlfriend, did no one in the family know or was she being kept out of the loop as usual?

She leaned against a wall in an alley that cut behind the house on two residential streets. She pulled out the lighter and held it in front of her face as she light the flame. She let it grow for a few seconds before she pushed the bottom of her sweatshirt up and placed the hot metal against the sensitive flesh of her lower belly. She let out a gasp at the feeling and smiled as she felt a new release take over her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark leaned against the brick wall of the grocery store, nervously tapping his fingers against his legs. He bit his lip and looked side to side waiting for his fix to get here.

"Could you be any more obvious?" a voice scoffed behind him and Mark whirled around to see the boy from the night before leaning against the wall beside him.

"Hey! Did you bring it?" Mark asked in a whisper.

"Your lighter? Yea I brought it." The boy raised his black brows in a way that told Mark to shut the hell up. Mark, wisely, shut up.

"Well here it is." The boy held his hand out to Mark and Mark slipped him a twenty as the boy passed him a small baggie.

"Thanks man. Appreciate it." Mark said as the boy turned his back and walked away. "Just be careful." The boy called back over his shoulder.

But Mark was already rushing inside to the store bathroom.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"You know that family meeting must have done wonders." Tom said as he pulled the covers back from the bed.

"Why do you say that dear?" Kate said as she brushed her blonde hair.

"We haven't had a single problem with our kids since then! They've been great!" Tom said, getting into bed.

"How many times do I have to tell you they're great kids before you believe me?" Kate said as she joined him.

"Maybe once more." Tom said with a smile.

Kate, rolling her eyes, leaned over and kissed him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I just don't think I could handle it. Seeing them thinking of me as…" Jake paused, he wasn't sure how to phrase this.

"As a guys who does musicals." Selene suggested, leaning against the side of her car.

"As a guy that other people look down on." Jake explained finally finding words for it.

"No one looks down on you Jake." Selene said, honestly surprised.

Jake looked away from her, down the street and whispered, "I do."

AN2- OMG two chapters in the same month! *Squeal* I can only imagine how you all are feeling but I hope its as happy as me! The layout has gotten even more detailed and there is going to be four more chapters after this as well as an epilogue. Just warning you that the end is coming! New goal, finish this story by December 31, 2010! Let's hope for all our sakes I make it. I think I will as I'm really excited to write chapter 12. I'm thinking of writing a companion to this, side stories about things that won't give anything new away, to make readers feel for the characters more. I know a lot of my characters get shoved to the side coughNigelcough and hopefully this could add more feeling to the story. Or maybe I should just shoot to finish this story first. Any ideas, comments, criticism (preferably the constructive kind) are always welcome, just REVIEW.

Oh I found the perfect song for Loraine in this story "I Wonder" by Diffuser. Check it out. And I am so happy I finally remembered to put Gunner in this story its not even funny.

Also thanks to BrookeWaldorf for the idea of Henry/Jake bonding fest.


	14. Chapter 9

AN- A bit of swearing in this chapter. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Chapter 9

The last class of the school day was dragging on for all of the Bakers. The last class on Fridays always seemed to take at least twice as long as a normal class but today it felt like it was taking years.

Sarah sat tapping her fingers on the desk anxiously; she didn't have much time after practice to get ready and was worried about what she would wear on her date with James. When she realized how girly her thoughts were she visibly cringed.

Jake was pouring over his script, oblivious to the whispers and looks Tommy Falcone and some of his buddies were shooting him from across the room. He was much to nervous about the play being only a week away.

Henry sat with Pip laughing in study hall. Jessica and Kim sat in their chemistry class, clear across the room from each other. Jessica was waiting for the day to be over so she could meet up with Dean; he'd told her in the hall on the way to class he needed to talk to her. Kim was anxious because the teacher had asked to see her after class.

Mike was waiting for one of his classmates to finish proofreading his paper, while Kyle was busy thinking how he was going to safely get home from Clerk. Nigel was gathering up Caroline's homework. Mark was waiting for school to be over so he could have a line.

Basically none of the Baker children were paying the slightest attention to their actual school work.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After what seemed like days the final bell rang and students raced from their classrooms to the halls, eager to escape school for the weekend and two days of freedom. Kim trudged up to the teacher's desk, slinging her messenger bag over one shoulder dejectedly.

"Aw yes Kimberly." Mrs. Yankons looked up at Kim from the rim over her glasses, which were perpetually sliding down her long nose. "Do you know why I've asked you to stay?" she folded her withered hands in front of her in the universal teacher sign of disappointment.

Kim shrugged and looked away. "I'm failing."

"No, you're only failing your tests. All of your school work is quite good." Mrs. Yankons paused to clear her throat awkwardly before continuing. "Are you um. Are you copying your sister homework?"

Kim snapped her gaze to her teachers. "What?" she asked her voice full of hostility.

"It just doesn't make sense that you do so well on your homework but don't seem to understand anything on the tests. The highest grade you've got on one of my tests is a 74!" Kim could see where Mrs. Yankons was coming from but still could not see past her hurt.

"I don't even speak to Jessica. How could I copy her work?" Kim said angrily, more emotion in her voice then there had been in weeks.

Mrs. Yankons looked concerned. "Is everything alright at home dear?"

Kim pushed past the old teachers well meaning and pulled on a fake smile. "Everything's great. Is that all you wanted me for?" _To accuse me of copying_. She thought bitterly.

Mrs. Yankons nodded and began shuffling papers around. "Yes, if your test grades don't improve I'm going to recommend you a tutor."

Kim rolled her eyes as she left the room. "Swell."

Just as she was stepping around the bend in the hallway she stopped and flattened herself against the wall. Her twin was standing there talking to that Dean boy and things didn't seem like they were going so well.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"What do you mean 'our ride is over'?" Jessica asked both anger and hurt coloring her voice.

Dean shrugged, leaning casually against a locker, hands in his jeans pockets.

"Just you know, we've had our turn but I think we should move on, you know?" His blue eyes were completely clear of remorse.

"No I don't know." Jessica said, she was confused, something she was not used to and really did not enjoy feeling.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Your really gonna make me say it huh?" he shrugged and pushed of the locker with his foot walking past her and looking over his shoulder as he went. "You're just not that great of a fuck."

With that he left leaving Jessica standing open mouthed in the hallway. As she turned away from his retreating figure she thought she saw a flash of color moving around the corner.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike sat shifting uncomfortably in the chair across from Miss Sanders.

"So is it any good?" he finally asked when the silence became too much for him.

Miss Sanders looked up from his paper and smiled at him. "This is excellent Mike. There are a few grammatical errors but those are an easy enough fix. This might just be able to salvage your English grade."

Mike stopped fidgeting as his face broke into a huge grin. "You really think so?" he asked hopefully.

Miss Sanders held a hand up at him. "Well I'm not your teacher so I can't say things like that for sure, but I'd say this is defiantly an A plus paper."

Mike beamed at her. "Do you think its enough to get me to move on next year?" he couldn't keep the hope from rising inside of him.

Miss Sanders blanched. "I never said that."

Mike felt the bubble of hope inside him deflate, Miss Sanders saw his expression and backtracked quickly.

"It is an excellent paper Mike but this isn't the only class you're failing. Try putting the same amount of effort into everything else and we'll see where that takes us okay?" she asked gently.

Mike nodded as the hope bubble sank a little bit more.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel was walking home from school, his and Caroline's books heavy in his arms. Suddenly he was being shoved foreword and loosing his footing, the books tumbling to the ground. As he turned around onto his back a large figure blocked out the sun and he raised his arms to protect his face as punches began raining down on him.

"Clerk!" he heard his twin's voice shout from down the street. The punches paused and Nigel peered around his arms to see the boy above him looking down the street in shock, "Shit." He mumbled looking up the street then down at Nigel.

The boy took one last look down the street before turning on his heels and running. Nigel dropped his arms away from his face and heard footsteps running up to him.

"Are you okay?" it was Kyle; his voice was full of panic. Nigel nodded as Kyle began apologizing over and over.

"It isn't your fault." Nigel sat up slowly, his hand on his stomach where he felt a large bruise forming.

"Yes it is." Nigel looked up to see his brother staring down at his hands. Feeling Nigel's eyes on him Kyle looked up. "He thought you were me."

Nigel suddenly realized how Kyle broke his nose.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Loraine was chiding herself even as she opened the door to Starbucks. Her blonde hair was now three inches shorter and she had layers and bangs. She was trying to kill any hope she had that Quincy would notice but it wasn't working.

She got up to the counter and he looked up from the register to smile at her. His brown eyes grew wide and he brought an olive toned hand to her blonde locks.

"Your hair." He whispered in awe.

Loraine blushed and looked down at the counter. "Do you like it?" her eyes darted up to watch him against her will.

He nodded vigorously.

"It's adorable!" he almost squealed before taking her order.

Loraine took her coffee and sat done frowning. 'Adorable' was not a good sign. Adorable was what you called a puppy not a girl you would be interested in dating.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry packed up the saxophone and put it back on its shelf in the practice room. Pip sat on a stool behind him, swinging his legs absentmindedly.

"You want a ride home?" Henry asked, turning around to face him.

"What aren't you telling me Henry?" Pip asked instead, looking up from the gray carpet to meet Henry's eyes. Henry blushed and looked down trying to think of what to say. Pip sighed and stood up so he was standing directly in front of Henry.

"You can tell me you know, I won't think any less of you." Pip said quietly, trying to get Henry to meet his eyes. Henry fidgeted uneasily under his gaze.

"Pip I'm gay." Henry blurted out, not able to stand keeping his secret anymore.

"Oh is that all?" Pip asked not looking surprised.

Henry looked confused. "What do you mean that's all?" he was a bit hurt that Pip didn't find this as big a deal as he did.

Pip smiled. "Lots of people are gay Henry. It's not as big a deal as you think." Henry nodded wringing his hands together.

"Yeah, I guess its not." Henry said. Pip smiled and placed his hand over Henry's. Henry looked up at him and Pip's green eyes held onto his.

"I thought you wanted to tell me." Pip paused to lick his lips and looked away for a second.

"Tell you?" Henry paused and let the question hang in the air.

Pip looked back at him and blushed lightly. "Tell me this." And Pip placed a hand behind Henry's neck and placed his lips over his.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora sat nervously in the doctors office her foot tapping the floor anxiously. An older man turned a glare onto her and Nora tried to gather her nerves.

_I'm fine. There is nothing wrong with me. I'm fine._ Nora repeated this mantra in her head over and over. Finally the nurse called her into to see her doctor.

Nora sat down inside Doctor Shepard's office and looked expectantly at the older woman.

There was a slight pause and Nora finally blurted. "Well? What's wrong with me?"

The woman paused and folded her hands together trying to look comforting. Nora then knew it was worse then she had expected.

"Mrs. Hawthron we found a small tumor inside of your left kidney." The doctor paused to let this information sink in.

Nora felt her breath stop. "Can it be removed?" her voice was shaking.

The doctor nodded. "Yes we think so. We will have to do it soon though to make sure it doesn't spread. Right now we believe it to be only located in the one kidney."

"When can you remove it?" Nora placed a hand over her eyes, slumping back in her seat. She could not believe this was happening to her.

"Next week. I'm sorry Mrs. Hawthron." Doctor Shepard said sympathetically.

Nora barely processed the kind words as she felt her world spiraling out of her control.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark sat in Dodge's room his fingers twitching as Dodge light a joint and took a drag. He offered it to Mark but he shook his head.

"No man I got something better." Mark reached into his pocket as Dodge raised his eyebrows and looked on expectantly. Mark smiled as he pulled out the baggie of white powder.

Dodge's eyes widened as Mark smiled sickly at him, holding the baggie in front of his face.

"What the fuck man?" Dodge whispered. Mark was oblivious to Dodge's tone, looking around for a flat surface.

"This stuff is so great dude. I haven't slept for three days. Can't remember when I last ate either." Mark giggled, looking around for something he could make lines on. Dodge reached over and gripped his wrist tightly.

"What the _fuck_?" Dodge whispered dangerously. Mark looked at him then, his brown eyes glassy and confused. For once Dodge didn't have his lazy drawl or laid back attitude.

"You can't do that shit man. Are you stupid!" Dodge cried, shaking Mark roughly. Mark pushed Doge's hands off him.

"What's the big deal?" Mark was confused. A drug was a drug right?

"That shit gets you hooked that's what's the big deal!" Dodge cried reaching to shake Mark again. Mark stepped off the bed out of his reach.

"I thought you'd be up for it." He said bewildered.

"Hell no!" Dodge cried standing up. "Where'd you even get that shit!"

"From a guy I met at the party." Mark was so confused about Dodge's reaction.

"The party I took you too. Aw shit man." Dodge ran a hand through his dark curly hair looking around, unsure of what to do next.

Mark was beginning to get angry. "Well if you don't want to do it I'll just leave." He turned towards the door.

"Mark don't!" Dodge had leaped foreword and grabbed Mark's arm again. Mark shook him off angrily. "I'm telling you that shits not good for you!" Dodge said worriedly.

Mark looked back at him as he opened the door to the bedroom. "Nothing is good for me." He turned and left, shutting the door tightly in Dodge's hurt face.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Charlie smiled at Elizabeth as he slipped the ring onto her finger. The minister smiled at them as he spoke, "You may now kiss the bride."

Charlie leaned down and kissed Elizabeth, pulling away a few moments later and looking into her blue eyes. "We're married." He whispered.

"We're married." Elizabeth agreed, tears shining in her eyes.

"I just need you to sign these before you leave." A secretary from the court house said pushing a marriage certificate towards them. The couple turned away from each other to sign the document. As they received congratulations they turned and left the court house where their small wedding had taken place.

Only the minister, the court secretary, and Elizabeth's room mate and one of Charlie's employees where there as witnesses.

Charlie bent to kiss Elizabeth again as he held her car door open for her. "Let's go home Mrs. Baker."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I don't get it. Why does he hate you so much?" Nigel asked, holding an ice pack to the bruises forming on his stomach and looking across the room at his brother.

Kyle shrugged. "He's always picked on me but it got worse when he thought I was talking to his girlfriend."

Nigel winced as he shifted on his bed. "How long has it been going on?"

Kyle shrugged. "Since school started." He mumbled.

Nigel looked surprised. "Why didn't you ever say anything?" he asked surprised.

"It's no big deal." Kyle mumbled, embarrassed.

"Yes it is! It's a big deal when people hurt you Kyle! You have to say something." Nigel protested.

But when Nigel said that Kyle didn't think it was him who he needed to let people know was being hurt.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jake was skating home after rehearsal, his bag slung over one shoulder. He pulled his beanie down to cover his ears against the nights chill when he heard pounding footsteps behind him. He cast a look over his shoulder and saw Tommy and a few of his football buddies running after him.

"Shit." Jake swore turning and pushing off from the pavement hard to get away. Unfortunately for him these boys were fast and were on him in minutes.

"What's up Baker?" Tommy asked grabbing the collar of Jake's shirt and pulling him off his board. "You didn't actually think I would let you do this musical without hurting you first did you?"

Jake glared at him and tried to pry Tommy off his shirt. Tommy simply pulled him closer, Jake could smell his foul breath. Jake shoved Tommy but the boy only laughed. "Wrong move buddy." Tommy sneered. He threw Jake onto the pavement and the boys were on him like starving stray dogs on a scrap of meat.

Two of the boys held him down while Tommy straddled his chest and pounded on him. A fourth boy picked up Jake's board and handed it Tommy who smiled and stood up. "Sweet dreams Baker." With that he brought the board down hard on the side of Jake's face.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The diner was crowded and the jukebox only played songs from the fifties but Sarah didn't mind. She was sitting in a corner booth with James, where'd they been for the last hour and a half. She smiled at him as they spoke and couldn't believe how much she was enjoying herself.

They had talked about everything and were just now getting onto the subject of hockey.

"I have to warn you Sarah some of the guys aren't too happy about you being on the team." James said shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

Sarah blinked and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can take care of myself."

"Oh I don't doubt that." James smiled crookedly at her and Sarah felt her heartbeat skip. "Just watch out okay?" his face seemed so serious and concerned that Sarah reached over and took his hand.

"I will."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The Baker house was dark when the front door creaked slowly open. Jake limped inside, his broken board clutched in his bleeding hands. He crept his way to the stairs and nearly jumped a foot when the front door opened behind him.

Mark stepped inside and saw a shadow on the staircase. He was glad for the dark because he was sure his pupils were pinpricks and he tried to force down his irrational urge to howl with laughter. As it was a small giggle escaped him.

"Mark?" the shadow whispered. Mark realized it was Jake but his voice sounded funny.

"Tis me!" Mark whispered, again fighting back his laughter.

Jake frowned. Mark was acting stranger then usual. "Be quite. We don't want to wake anyone up." He whispered.

"Aye aye captain!" Mark saluted Jake and dissolved into silent giggles. Jake shook his head and stiffly made his way up the stairs. His family was something else.

AN- I'm working on this story like crazy, I guess I feel bad for all those long waits you guys went through for my updates. I've finished chapter 11 but still need to proofread everything. Expect chapter 10 within the next few days! Love, hate, or don't care at all tell me what you think. REVIEW!


	15. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jake winced as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror over the bathroom sink. The bruises had only gotten deeper in the days since Tommy had used his face as a punching bag. The morning after when his parents saw him had not been pretty. There was no denying he had been beat up but he wouldn't give them any names. Henry, Sarah and Mike had bugged him relentlessly about it but he wouldn't budge. The worst freak out of all had been Fitz though. She had freaked and worried about how he would sing at the performance. Thankfully Jake was still able to sing and it didn't cause him too much pain. He was lucky his jaw wasn't broken.

Tommy seemed content with the purpling bruises on Jake's face and didn't bother him again.

Jake sighed as he turned away from the mirror and went downstairs for breakfast. As he walked in he heard conversations about how Sarah's first game was later that night.

"They have hockey games on Wednesdays?" he asked sitting down next to Mike.

Sarah shrugged. "Hey I didn't make the schedule."

Jake rolled his eyes. He had dress rehearsal that night, he wouldn't be able to watch his sister's first game. While he was sitting there being upset Henry cast a quick glance at him before speaking.

"The school's musical is in two days." Henry said conversationally.

Jake snapped his head up and glared at Henry.

"That's wonderful dear. Maybe we'll go." Kate said sipping her coffee.

"Oh I defiantly think we should." Henry said, casting a meaningful look at Jake. Jake merrily glared back at him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Charlie lay on his side with his arm around Elizabeth's waist, running a finger up and down her arm.

He couldn't believe he had been so lucky. He found the most amazing woman and when he was with her he forgot everything else. He knew most people would find him crazy for getting married to someone he knew two weeks but it made so much sense to him.

He knew it wasn't just lust, it wasn't just love either. He couldn't explain it.

It made no sense as much as it made perfect sense.

All he knew was he couldn't imagine living with out her, and he didn't have to worry about that anymore.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

School was so boring. Nothing interested Nigel about it at all. He used to love school but then once Caroline was in the hospital he couldn't stand it. He sighed and tried to force himself to pay attention to the lesson but his mind kept drifting.

Caroline's parents had called to let them know that she was getting released on Friday. Only two more days.

Next week she would come back to school.

Next week school would be interesting again.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica stood in one of the stalls in the girl's bathroom. She was very close to having a panic attack. Claudia had mentioned this morning she had her period and Jessica realized something with a certain fear.

She was a week late. She had never been late a day in her life. She stood in the stall forcing herself to breathe normally. It was the morning break and she was blissfully alone in here. Every time the door opened she sat on the toilet and pulled her feet up. She wanted to be alone while she freaked out.

She tried not to think the word but it kept shoving itself inside her brain.

_Pregnant. Pregnant_.

Suddenly the door opened again. Automatically Jessica got on the toilet and pulled her feet up silently. She could see out the crack between the stall and the door and she saw her twin's reflection in the mirrors. She was holding something in her hand that Jessica couldn't see. Kim looked around before putting what ever it was on the inside of her wrist.

Confused Jessica stood up and opened the stall door. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously, forgetting that she and Kim hadn't spoken civilly in weeks.

Kim swore and dropped the object in the sink with a clatter. Jessica tried to get around Kim and see it but her twin moved faster and shoved it out of sight in her pocket.

"You surprised me." Kim said, slightly out of breath.

"What were you doing?" Jessica crossed her arms over her chest suspiciously.

"None of your business." Kim narrowed her eyes at her twin.

"I'm your twin. I deserve to know." Jessica pulled the twin card automatically.

Kim's nostrils flared in anger. "You don't deserve anything Jessica."

A look of hurt passed over Jessica's face and Kim felt a little remorse but didn't take it back.

"You're just jealous of me." Jessica said without any real feeling behind the words.

Kim laughed bitterly without humor. "Yea I'm so jealous of the fact that you fucked Dean Phillips."

Jessica flinched and her face flushed. "No you're jealous of the fact that people like me and don't think I'm some crazy emo freak!"

Kim's eyes widened and she took a step closer to Jessica. They glared at each other.

"I'd rather be considered a freak than a slut." Kim spat out before turning on her heel and walking to the door.

"Why don't you just do me a favor and get out of my life!" Jessica screeched at her sister's retreating back.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mike nervously handed his paper to his English teacher, Mr. Lores. The older man smiled at him, turning the essay around to read the title.

"_Come What May._ Interesting title Mike. What was your subject again?" Mr. Lores asked looking up at Mike over the rim of his wire glasses.

"Family." Mike shifted nervously from foot to foot.

Mr. Lores smiled at him. "Well with a title like that I can't wait to read it. You'll get your grade on Friday."

Mike nodded as Mr. Lores looked at the next student turning in a paper. He didn't think he could handle the suspense of two more days.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora watched the lights pass by above her as the nurses wheeled her down the hospital hallways on a bed to her surgery room. Today was the day. Soon she'd know if she would have to more tests, if she had a chance of beating this at all, or if she was cured.

Nora closed her eyes and prayed she would make it through this, for Bud and her kid's sake. And because Nora didn't want this to be happening to her.

The nurses had opened doors, they were here.

The nurse placed the mouth piece over Nora's mouth and told her to count backward from one hundred. She got to ninety-four.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"You ready for a beating punk?" Clerk asked, cracking his knuckles menacingly.

"You don't have to do this Clerk." Kyle said from where Clerk had him pinned against a brick wall.

"No. But I want to." Clerk smiled and drew his hand back.

"Wait!" Kyle cried. "I can help you!"

Clerk paused. "Help me with what?" he asked confused.

"With whoever is hurting you." Kyle whispered.

Clerk let go of Kyle's shirt in surprise. "No one is hurting me." He said quickly.

Kyle just looked at him. Clerk blanched and shook his head backing away.

"Don't tell anyone!" he cried turning and running away.

Kyle slumped against the wall confused.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Henry was walking to his car after school when it happened. A few of the football players who had hassled him and Pip weeks ago started following him. They stood a few feet away watching Henry as he tossed his books in the car. Henry thought about just getting in the car and driving away but decided that wouldn't do any good. Sighing he turned to face them.

"What do you want?" he asked with a sigh.

"How's your boyfriend?" One of the jocks said with a smile.

"He's great why?" Henry said crossing his arms over his chest.

The jocks stopped their chortling.

"What do you-" Henry cut one of the jocks off mid sentence.

"I'm gay you guys. Get over it. I have." Henry rolled his eyes and got in his car. As he drove away the jocks all exchanged looks before shrugging and walking away to find someone else to torment.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

This wasn't supposed to happen like this. Loraine and Quincy had gone to a movie and when he walked her home Loraine had hugged him and given him a kiss on the cheek. When he'd asked her why she did that she had blushed and done the stupidest thing ever. She had answered honestly.

"I like you Quincy." She had mumbled.

He had backed away a step to look at her better. "Like a friend?" he had asked slowly.

Loraine had blushed deeper and shook her head.

"Loraine I thought you knew, I'm gay." He said softly trying not to hurt her feelings.

"I did know." She whispered. "I just, I couldn't help it."

Quincy nodded. "Maybe we should spend some time apart." He suggested slowly. Loraine nodded.

"Maybe." He paused before delivering the final blow. "Maybe you should start getting your coffee somewhere else."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark wasn't moving. Dodge shook his shoulder vigorously but still his best friend lay still. Dodge kneeled next to Mark's body where he lay on the top of a hill at the park. Dodge had seen him lying up there while he was walking home. There was an empty baggie clutched in Mark's pale hand.

"Mark come on man." Dodge whimpered, leaning his ear down to Mark's chest. Hearing a shallow heart beat some of his worry lessened. Dodge shook Mark's shoulders again.

"Mark come on." Dodge was near tears. "Mark this isn't funny!"

Mark still didn't move. Panicking Dodge stood up and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Looking at his best friend laying motionless on the ground Dodge made up his mind and punched in three numbers.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

They were up by six points in the last two minutes of the game. Sarah's team had this game in the bag. Sarah had yet to play a minute though. The coach wouldn't let her in no matter how much she asked.

Finally Tyler spoke up for her. "Just let her in coach. She can't do much damage in the time left."

Sarah glared at him but the coach shrugged. "Alright let's see what you got girl. Line change!"

The players switched and as James came back onto the bench he hit Sarah's shoulder affectionately as she skated onto the ice.

She heard her family cheer as they saw number 34 step onto the ice.

Things went well at first. She was fast so she was able to avoid most blows. She managed to assist on another goal too. With seconds left she was suddenly hit hard from behind.

She fell on her stomach her wrist getting caught underneath her, and slid foreword a few feet, her head slamming into the wall. The final buzzer sounded as the audience stood and cheered.

The cheers began to soften when they realized that number 34 wasn't getting up.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Tom something's wrong!" Kate cried pushing her way to the bottom of the bleachers. Mike was already ahead of her yelling Sarah's name.

One of her teammates, number 74, was kneeling by her side. Paramedics were shooing him out of the way.

Jessica gripped Henry's arm tightly as she stared at her sister's limp form. Tom started to head down the stairs when his phone rang. He answered in automatically still moving down the bleachers.

"Tom Baker." He said breathlessly.

"Mr. Baker! This is Dodge, I'm Mark's friend." A panicked voice said from the other line. Where ever he was it was nosy, Tom could hear sirens in the background and they sounded loud.

"Is Mark alright?" Tom asked, a chill forming in his gut.

"We're going to the hospital right now Mr. Baker." The boy sounded like he was close to tears.

Tom stepped dead not noticing his kids watching him with worried eyes.

"What happened?" he asked his voice deathly calm.

"He OD'd." Dodge sobbed on the other end of the line.

Tom's eyes widened and he cast a look at the ice where his unconscious daughter was being loaded onto a stretcher.

"We'll be right there."

AN- Yea super short but it needed to be set up quickly for the next chapter. I've already written the next chapter but I'm going to hold it hostage until I get ten review for this chapter! May seem like a lot to ask for yes, but I know how many people have this on their story alerts and ten isn't even half so I think you guys can do it!

Love it, hate it, think it's a bit like a soap opera? I don't care REVIEW!


	16. Chapter 11

AN- There's really bad language in this chapter. Just warning you now!

Chapter 11

Tom paced back and forth across the length of the hospital waiting room, phone held to his ear in distress. Sighing he snapped the phone shut.

"Voice mail again." He said looking at Kate where she sat in the uncomfortable blue hospital chair, one arm wrapped around Mike who looked very close to tears.

"Where could he be?" Kate asked worriedly. The Baker family had been sitting in the hospital waiting room for the last two hours waiting for news about Sarah and Mark. All the ones who still lived in Midland were there except for Jake who Tom was trying to reach on his cell phone.

"Maybe he's at his girlfriend's house." Kim said from the chair in the corner.

Tom and Kate exchanged a look of surprise. "Jake doesn't have a girlfriend." Kate said, although she didn't sound so sure.

Tom shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I need to find my son!" He resumed his pacing, typing Jake's number in again.

Just then Jake rounded the corner at full speed. He skidded to a stop in front of Jessica, panting. "How are they?" he panted.

"Where have you been?" Tom cried turning to Jake and gripping his shoulders tightly.

"Tom." Kate said, shooting him a warning look. Tom released Jake and ran a hand through his gray hair.

"I was at a friend's house. Sorry I had really bad reception. How are they?" Jake repeated. He was lying, he had been at rehearsal and there was a strict no cell phones policy. He had turned his phone on after practice and found he had eleven missed calls from his family. Then he heard his voicemail. He had run the twelve blocks from the school to the hospital.

"We haven't heard anything." Tom said, going back to pacing.

"Who found Mark?" Jake asked sinking into a seat next to Nigel.

"Dodge. He's over there." Henry said, jerking his thumb to the boy across the room. Jake stood up again and walked over to him.

"Hey." Jake said sitting down next to him.

Dodge shot a look at him from the corner of his eye then resumed staring straight ahead. He had his feet on the seat and his arms around his legs, huddled in a ball.

"I told him it was stupid." He whispered.

"What?" Jake asked, confused.

Dodge kept his eyes straight ahead while he spoke. "The coke. I told him not to do it. I tried to talk sense in him, you have to believe me." His voice was shaking and it cracked on the last word.

"I do." Jake nodded. "Where'd you find him?" He changed the subject.

"Park, the hill." Dodge was shaking.

Jake nodded about to say something when a doctor walked in. "Baker?" the doctor asked looking down at his clipboard.

The nine Bakers in the room stood up and looked at him expectantly. The doctor looked at his clipboard again. "Sarah Baker." He repeated. No one sat down. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Alright then. We've run some tests; she's going to be fine. She has a minor concussion and a broken wrist but we're going to keep her for a few days just to make sure everything is going smoothly."

"But she's okay right?" Jessica asked worriedly.

"She'll be fine. She should be waking up soon." The doctor said smiling at her.

"Oh thank God." Kate put a hand over her heart and sank into her chair.

"What about my son?" Tom asked.

The doctor frowned. "I'm only Sarah's doctor. I'm afraid I don't know anything about your son."

He answered a few more of their questions before turning and leaving. Tom looked relieved for a few seconds and then resumed his pacing.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

About an hour later another doctor came in. "Baker?" The doctor asked. Again the nine Bakers stood up. Dodge looked up expectantly.

The doctor turned to Tom and Kate. "Your son Mark will be fine." He said. All of the Baker's breathed a collective sigh of relieve. Dodge placed his head on his knees. "He overdosed on cocaine. He'll be fine soon but we have to keep him for a few days."

Kate was crying and Tom looked relieved. "The police will be in to talk to him soon about where he got the drugs. Since he is underage there will most likely be no heavy charges. We'll give you some pamphlets about rehabs and drug counselors."

"Can we see him?" Kate asked tearfully.

"You two may. I'm afraid the kids will have to wait for visiting hours tomorrow." The doctor said nodding at Kate and Tom.

They got up and were led to Mark's room as their kids stayed behind in the waiting room, relief that their siblings were okay letting them relax.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Oh Mark." Kate said as she walked into the hospital room. Mark lay in the hospital bed, his red hair even brighter against the white of the pillow case.

Mark looked at her with twitchy eyes.

"Why would you do this sweetie?" Kate asked, taking Mark's hand as tears slid down her face. Mark slid his hand from hers and turned his head to stare at the wall. His fingers were twitching uncontrollably.

"Your mother asked you a question son." Tom said, he tried to sound forceful but his voice cracked on the last word. Mark shot a look at him just in time to see a tear leak from his father's eye.

Seeing his father crumble in front of him made Mark realize how bad he had messed up more then waking up in the hospital had.

"I'm sorry." Mark whispered.

"Oh sweetie it'll be okay." Kate said smoothing his hair down.

Mark just looked at her with his dilated eyes. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry." He kept repeating.

Tom and Kate were unable to stop their own tears as their son dissolved into tears in front of them, repeating those same two words over and over like a mantra.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sarah sighed as she flipped through the channels on the TV. There was nothing to watch. She felt fine except for a minor headache and some bruising. Her left wrist was in a bulky orange cast and the light pain meds they had her on blocked out any pain it might have caused. She didn't understand why the hospital wouldn't let her go home until tomorrow.

She had woken up this morning totally confused. She was in a hospital bed, in the room alone. She had barely been able to control her urge to freak out. Thankfully a nurse had come in a few moments after she had realized where she was.

The door to her room opened slowly and she turned to see Kyle peering through the crack. Seeing her, his face broke into a huge grin.

"She's awake you guys!" he cried over his shoulder joyfully. Suddenly Sarah's room was full with seven of her siblings crowding around and hugging her. There was a constant stream of chatter that confused Sarah to no end.

"Mom and Dad are with Mark."

"We were so worried!"

"I can't believe that guy did that to you!"

"Don't you ever make me worry like this again!"

"It was so awful!"

"Wait wait hold up!" Sarah cried holding out her hands. "One at a time."

"Mom and Dad will be here later. There in Mark's room right now." Henry said placing Sarah's cell phone on her table tray.

She smiled at him gratefully and then frowned as his words sank in. "What do you mean Mark's room?" Her siblings all exchanged nervous glances. "You guys." Sarah said threateningly.

"Mark OD'd on coke last night." Jake explained, meeting her eyes.

Sarah blinked as she thought this over. "I'm gonna kill him." She tossed her blanket off and stood up.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Now where did you get the drugs?" the policeman asked Mark holding a pen over his pad of paper.

"From a guy I met at a party." Mark said with no emotion in his voice. The drugs were out of his system enough for him to finally realize what was going on and how much trouble he was in.

The policeman wrote that down. "Did you get all the drugs that night?"

Mark shook his head. "I met up with him twice after the party and bought more."

"Did you get his name?" The policeman had thinning brown hair he had styled in a comb over and a bit of a beer gut. His name tag read 'Parker'.

Mark shook his head. "I have the phone number."

The policeman asked for it and Mark repeated the seven digits without needing to think of it.

After Parker wrote it down he placed the pad of paper back in his pocket. "Okay. Your court date is November third." He handed Mark a piece of paper with the court date and court house address on it.

"Court date?" Mark said taking the paper and looking confused.

"Son you were found with over four milligrams of cocaine in your system." Parker raised his eyebrows at him. "That's enough to be reported. You'll get your sentence then. Don't get mixed up with this stuff again." Parker gave him a stern look; picking his hat up off the table and closing the door behind him as he stepped out.

Mark let his head fall back against the pillow in disbelief.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Well?" Kate asked, turning as the policeman stepped out of her son's room. Her arms were crossed tight in front of her chest making her look like she was cold but in reality she was just worried.

Parker motioned for them to step farther away from the door. Once they were down the hallway a bit he turned towards them.

"He's only fifteen so the charges won't be anything severe. My guess is at worst he'll get a fine, community service and a slap on the wrist. Maybe some drug classes but I suggest he take those anyway." Parker gave them a stern look.

Tom put an arm around Kate's waist as she breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Thank you officer." Tom said, shaking the policeman's hand.

"Keep him out of that stuff in the future. And don't let him know he'll get off easy. Let him worry." Once Tom and Kate nodded the policeman tipped his hat to them and walked off down the hallway.

Tom and Kate turned towards each other. Kate choked back a sob and folded herself into Tom's arms.

"Oh Tom." She breathed into his chest as his arms clutched her to him tightly. "What else will go wrong?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica cast a quick glance behind her as she shut the door to the bathroom after her. She had left the hospital on the pretense of getting Sarah something to read at a nearby market. Once she was inside however she went straight for the pregnancy tests. Paying had been a nightmare, the elderly cashier had given her a look of severe disappointment and she was pretty sure that the tall boy behind her in line was friends with her brother.

After that nerve racking process was over she went to the back of the store and slipped into their bathroom.

With shaking hands she opened the lid of the box carefully. As she slid the test from its packet she had to force herself to breath calmly.

"Just relax." She whispered to herself.

Within five minutes she would know her fate.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey how you feeling?" there was a light knock on the door as it cracked open and a familiar face leaned into Sarah's hospital room. All of her siblings but Mike and Jake had left to go see Mark. The boys had stayed to keep Sarah company and then would visit him after the rest got back.

"James!" Sarah cried in surprise, pushing herself up so she was sitting. Jake and Mike exchanged amused looks.

"Hey." James smiled as he entered the room, hands in his jeans pocket. "Uh I'm James." He said waving a hand at Jake and Mike.

"Yea your in my math class." Jake said nodding at him.

"Oh that's right! You sit in the back with that Dorsa girl right?" James said snapping his fingers.

Jake nodded. "Sarah, me and Mike are gonna go on a caffeine run. Want anything?" he asked, hulling Mike up by his shirt collar when he protested.

"Mountain Dew. Like seven of them." Sarah said knowing full well Jake was leaving to give her and James some time alone. She planned to thank him later.

James watched her brothers leave then turned and sat down next to her on the bed. "So how are you feeling?" he asked looking at her.

Sarah shrugged. "Annoyed, they won't let me leave." She whispered casting a quick look at the door to make sure no nurses were in ear shot.

James laughed softly. "No I mean how hurt are you?"

Sarah blushed. "Concussion. Not a big one. Broken wrist." She held up her bulky cast for evidence.

James shook his head. "I'm gonna kill Tyler I swear." He muttered.

Sarah blinked. "Wait what?"

James looked at her surprised. "You don't know?" when Sarah only looked at him he continued slowly. "Tyler hit you from behind and hooked his stick under your skates."

Sarah blinked again and then felt a murderous rage take over her, even worse then when she had wanted to attack Mark. And this time there wasn't seven people to hold her back and talk her down. "Your joking." She whispered.

"I wish I was." James shook his head.

Sarah blew up. "This was his plan from the beginning! It's because of him I got to play at all! I bet coach was in on it too! That's why they let me on the team at all, to get me hurt! Then they could say that they gave me my chance and I'd stop bugging them!" she was fuming, but it all seemed so clear now. James's brown eyes widened as the truth of her words sunk in. "They planned this!" she whispered menacingly.

"Holy shit. You're probably right." James whispered under his breath as he stared at her.

Sarah sagged back against her pillows.

"And it doesn't even matter because it worked. I can't play with this wrist." She said dejectedly as she glared down at the offending limb.

James grabbed her hand tightly. "Maybe not this season. But next year you can just try out again." He stared into her eyes determinedly. "I'll work with you all the off season. You'll be so damn good only a fool wouldn't let you play. Even though you're that good already."

Sarah blushed and looked down. James placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head until his gaze met hers.

"Their going to regret this." He said resolutely. Sarah only nodded before she leaned in and kissed him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mark stared at his hands, twisting them together anxiously on the top of the blankets. Six of his siblings sat around his room all trying to look anywhere but at their brother.

This had been going on for about ten minutes before Mark finally broke down. "I can't take this anymore! I'm sorry okay? Now just yell at me and get it over with!" he exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Henry asked, his arms crossed tight over his chest as he leaned against the door frame.

"I wasn't okay?" Mark said with an eye roll. "Happy?"

"No." Henry met his younger brother's eyes with a look of frightening ferocity. "That bull shit mom and dad answer isn't going to work on us. We're your siblings. Tell us what happened."

Mark blinked and looked down at his hands again. He twisted them together as he thought about this. He had never been close with Henry, had never been close to any of his siblings. He had thought that they all still thought of him as FedEx but he supposed that he was wrong. But it still didn't change the fact that he had been self destructing for years and no one had bothered to notice until it was almost too late.

Instead of giving Henry an answer to his question Mark looked around at the six of his siblings. Henry leaned against the door frame, Nigel and Kyle were sharing one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs the hospital provided the rooms with and Kim was sitting in the other one. Mike was perched on the end of Mark's bed and Jake was standing looking out the window seeming preoccupied. Mark took each one of them in trying to recall all he knew about them. It wasn't much.

He knew Kim was allergic to peaches, Mike had broken four bones in his life, Nigel had almost died of pneumonia as a toddler, Kyle once fell down two flights of stairs and walked away without a scratch, Henry had to take his license test twice, and Jake was allergic to shellfish.

All of these things were facts and not things that were opinions, like favorite movies or songs. Mark realized with a small shock that the people he called his siblings were almost perfect strangers to him. So, he realized, he must be a stranger to them to. Well maybe it was time to educate them.

Mark met Henry's glare from across the room and what he spoke next took everyone in the room by surprise.

"The first time I got drunk, I was twelve years old."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

As the door to _Wired!_ opened there was a light tinkle of bells that hung on the door. Loraine looked around the small independently owned coffee shop in interest. For so long all she had drunken was Starbucks so this place was very foreign to her. There were mismatched chairs and tables scattered at random through out the room, the menu on the wall was written in hand, and one wall was completely covered in a spray paint mural portraying coffee cups and desserts fighting off corporate labels.

Loraine smiled at the sight of it and walked up to the counter. There was no line although there were more people in there than she would have expected.

A blonde boy stood behind the counter, his name tag read 'Roger'. He smiled at her showing large white teeth. "What can I get you?" he asked cheerfully, looking her up and down.

Loraine consulted the menu briefly and picked the first thing she saw. He smiled again and she paid. Loraine waited for a few minutes until he handed her coffee to her.

She reached over to take it but he drew his hand back slightly. "What are you doing this weekend?" he asked looking at her almost shyly. Loraine almost asked him why until she realized what he meant.

"No official plans." She smiled at him encouragingly. The best way to get over some one, she knew from experience, was to find some one new.

"Well how about I help you make some?" Roger seemed encouraged by her smile.

Loraine smiled, about to agree when her phone rang. She apologized to Roger and checked her caller ID. It was her father, confused and surprised Loraine answered.

"Hello?"

She listened for a few minutes, her eyes going wide. "I'll catch the next flight out." She said as she hung up.

She stared at her phone in shock for a second before Roger spoke. "Everything okay?" he asked concerned.

Loraine let out a shaky laugh. "Not really no." she leaned on the counter for support then shook her head to snap herself out of it. "I'm afraid I'll have to rain check on making plans." She said turning and leaving the shop in a daze not even grabbing her cup of coffee.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nora woke up slowly, her mouth extremely dry. She looked around blinking slowly and saw Bud dozing in the chair next to her hospital bed. She made a slight noise as she made to sit up and he awoke with a jerk.

"Hmph. Oh don't move sweetie, here." He handed her a glass of water which Nora drank gleefully.

"Did it work?" she croaked once she had drunken the whole glass.

Bud only shrugged. "I don't know. They wouldn't tell me anything until you woke up." Nora sagged against the pillows, she didn't feel any pain but she assumed that was because of the pain killers.

"Oh your parents called while you were in surgery." Bud spoke casually as he took her hand.

Nora froze. "What did you tell them?" she asked terrified.

"That you were at a job interview." Bud looked down at the floor before taking a deep breath and meeting her eyes. "There's apparently a lot going on over there. They wanted to know if we could make it down this weekend. It's pretty important."

Nora sighed and closed her eyes. "What did you tell them?"

"That I had to ask you first." Bud said, eyes searching her face carefully.

"Did they say what was so important?" Knowing her family it could be something totally insignificant.

"Sarah and Mark are in the hospital." Bud finally got out, shifting anxiously in his seat, ready to call a nurse in if his wife freaked out.

She sat still for a moment before pushing off her blankets and sitting up stiffly.

"Go get a nurse Bud. We need to get me checked out of this hospital two hours ago."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"How are we going to tell your parents?" Elizabeth finally asked the million dollar question as they sat eating a slightly burnt dinner Thursday night.

Charlie looked up at her and frowned. "I don't know. Should we wait until we can tell them in person?"

Elizabeth gave this some thought. "That's probably for the best. I know when I tell Kevin it defiantly needs to be in person. Although at a far enough distance that anything he throws can be avoided."

"So with a bullhorn off the side of a building. Got it." Charlie said smiling at her crookedly. She threw her waded up napkin at him with a laugh. "Throwing things must run in the family."

"You better fear for your kids." Elizabeth said smiling. They settled down and gave some thought to telling their families.

Elizabeth's father had died when she was only four years old in a plane crash and her mother had died two years ago from a stroke. Kevin, her older brother who worked as a lawyer in New Jersey, was her only family left.

So really Charlie was the one who really had to worry about this. He was just about to say that maybe they should plan a visit and then tell his parents when the phone rang.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sitting huddled on the floor in the corner in one of the hospitals many private bathrooms Kim began to cry. She had sat in Mark's room for the last two hours listening to him rattle off statistics of all of the teenagers who died of drugs, alcohol poisoning, or suicide each year. Kim didn't know why he felt the need to point out all the things that teenagers did to themselves, maybe he felt like it would make them all see that he wasn't the only kid in the world who fucked up. But all it did was prove to Kim what she already knew. She was just another number.

What would it really matter if she killed herself right now? So she would be another number in the statistic of teen suicides for the year. Right now she was just another number in the Baker family of fuck ups.

She pulled her razor blade from her jeans pocket and twisted around her fingers. The light glinting off it was mesmerizing. She pushed up her sleeves and stared down at her once perfectly smooth skin now marred with numerous burns and scars. The cut from a few days ago glared at her like a gaping red mouth. Kim placed the blade against her skin and stared at where the metal met flesh.

"Who cares really?" Kim spoke in a whisper before pushing the blade down. It was such a relief to not be careful. To not worry if blood got on the floor. To not worry about if the cut was too deep or if she did too many. To not have that constant worry in the back of her mind that people would see her scars. "To hell with them." Kim spoke a bit louder this time as she kept digging the blade into her arms, over and over from all directions. The floor was already being stained red with her blood.

"They never noticed me alive, they won't notice me dead." Kim was angry. Really angry. Here she was having to kill herself just to get attention from her family when all her siblings had to do was fail a test. Although Kim had done plenty of that herself.

She finally stopped her frantic cutting and let her arms fall to her sides. She leaned her head against the wall behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. Soon it would all be over. She opened her eyes and smiled as she took in her dying place. The smiled wiped from her face as she caught sight of her reflection in the full length mirror on the back of the door.

Kim didn't see a girl giving her family one last 'Fuck you!', one last bit of proof that they did not know her. She did not see a girl making some statement about the horror of the world and its corruption. Kim did not see a girl who was brave to take her own life to prove people wrong about her.

Kim saw a girl who was too weak to keep trying to live. A girl who was too weak to keep up with all of lives curveballs. Kim saw a scared girl with strawberry blonde hair and mutilated arms. Kim was seeing herself and herself wasn't very pretty.

Kim glared at her reflection for a moment as her head began to swim. She shook off the feeling, feeling both angry and resentful. "Fuck you." She spat at the mirror. "I'm not fucking scared."

With that she leaned over and began to rip toilet paper off the roll and wrap it around her arms.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Dodge pulled at a lock of his brown hair anxiously. Mark was staring out the window and had yet to acknowledge him.

Dodge sighed. "I'm not sorry." He said looking at Mark defiantly.

Mark looked towards him then, confusion clear on his pale face. "For what?" he finally asked when it became evident that Dodge was not going to explain.

"For calling the ambulance. I'm not sorry and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. You would have died if I hadn't called and if you want to hate me for ratting you out then fine, hate me. I don't care as long as you're still alive." Dodge said angrily.

Mark blinked. "I don't hate you."

It was Dodge's turned to look confused. "But you haven't spoken to me at all so-"

Mark caught him off. "I didn't want you to be disappointed in me too." He said looking at his hands and shrugging, embarrassed.

"Hell yeah I'm disappointed! But I do some pretty disappointing things too man. No big deal." Dodge said evenly. Mark looked up at him his eyes hopeful. "But if you ever go near any of this shit again I will personally kill you. You got that?" Dodge threatened, pointing a finger at Mark's chest.

Mark nodded. He had had quite a few death threats today. "Gee Dodge I haven't heard you talk this much since, well ever really." Mark said putting on an uneasy half grin.

Dodge smiled. "Yea man. Cause this is the first time we've hung out where I've been sober." He leaned the chair back on two legs as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Mark was shocked. "Sober, you?" he laughed.

Dodge let the chair fall down to all fours before kicking Mark. "Yes me. I quit, well everything." He said shrugging sheepishly.

"When?" Mark asked rubbing his leg where Dodge's foot had hit him.

"Yesterday. Threw all of it out when I got back from here." Dodge stared into Mark's eyes, the meaning of his statement not lost on Mark. He had quit doing everything: the drugs, the pot, the alcohol. All because of how messed up he had seen it made Mark.

Mark swallowed. "You didn't have to do that." He muttered looking down.

"Yes I did." The strange tone of Dodge's voice made Mark look up. Dodge looked like he had just run over a puppy.

"I would have gotten mixed up in this sooner or later man." Mark said, trying to make the guilt go out of Doge's eyes.

Dodge shook his head, his curly hair flopping around his ears. "But I took you to that party!" he cried, dropping his head in his hands.

"Yea and I snorted the line and I sought out the guy and bought more drugs." Mark said strongly. "Its my fault Dodge. You didn't do anything."

Dodge shook his head again. "I'm sorry." He whispered, looking up at Mark with tears threatening to fall from his blue eyes.

Mark met his eyes squarely. "No, I am."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jessica stared in the mirror and washed the tear tracks from her face. She knew she had to leave soon. She had been gone for far too long. Soon they might send one of her siblings after her or the store manager would get suspicious about why she was in the bathroom so long.

She sighed a shaky breath and wiped away the black mascara trails on her face.

She gave herself one last look in the mirror, not to make sure she looked good but to make sure she didn't look like she had been crying. She gave the pregnancy test in her hand one last look before letting out a shaky laugh and dropping it into the trash on her way out to buy Sarah's magazine.

As she stepped outside of the bathroom she was surprised to see the boy who had been behind her in line, the one that was friend's with Henry leaning on the wall across from the bathrooms.

He had his arms crossed over his chest and raised a thin eyebrow at Jessica.

"All clear?" he asked, his green eyes looking at her, not in disgust or concern, but in apathy.

Jessica just looked at him in surprise. "Don't tell Henry!" she blurted, then placed her hands over her mouth as her eyes grew wide. _Stupid!_ She chided herself. _He might not have known Henry was your brother!_

The boy only shook his head at her. "I wasn't planning on it. Everyone makes mistakes right?" he smiled knowingly at her then. "So, do I need to start helping Henry pick out baby clothes or should I buy you a candy bar in celebration of your bunless oven?"

Jessica smiled at him than. "Snickers are my favorite."

As they walked to the front of the store the boy slapped her back in a companionable sort of way.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Alright sweetie we'll pick you up first thing in the morning." Kate bent down to kiss Sarah on the cheek.

"Bye mom." Sarah said watching as her siblings left and waved to her as they shut the door behind them.

Visiting hours where over and Tom and Kate were taking all the kids home to get some sleep. Both Sarah and Mark would be released in the morning.

Tom took Kate's hand as they headed for their cars. "I think a family meeting is in order for tomorrow." Tom whispered.

Kate only looked at him. "I don't think our family can be fixed by a meeting Tom." She whispered.

Tom shrugged off a look of hurt before he replied. "It's the only thing I can think of to try."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kim sat silently in the backseat of Henry's car, Mike seating next to her and Jake riding shotgun. Everyone else was riding home with their parents.

Night had fallen but it was not quite completely dark yet. She stared out the window as they rolled past a dark cemetery. Almost unconsciously she put her hands on her arms tightly and thought about how if she hadn't had a change of heart, she would have soon been just another one of those grave markers.

She frowned as she looked forward again. It seemed no matter what she did she would always be 'just another one'.

AN2- I have to say this is one of my favorite chapters! If anyone can find the LOST quote in here and tell me who said it in the show I will give them a sneak preview of the dramatic final chapter! Let's see how many of you can review before I publish the next chapter! REVIEW!


	17. Chapter 12

AN- So nobody caught the LOST quote and I was kind of sad about that. I guess CbtD fans and LOST fans don't usually go hand in hand.

For those of you interested the quote was uttered by Tom at the very beginning of the chapter, originally spoken(quite often) by Michael in LOST, "I need to find my son!"

Chapter 12

"You have all of your things right sweetie?" Kate asked looking back at Sarah as they left the hospital room that had been her home the past two days. It was early Friday morning and Kate and Nigel were here to pick up Sarah and Mark while everyone else went to school. Nigel wasn't here so much as to see his siblings but as to see Caroline be released.

Sarah nodded as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. "Yup let's go." They walked outside to the nurse's station and Kate began to fill out the necessary release forms for her two kids. Sarah and Mark looked at each other. It was the first time they had seen each other since the accidents and Mark was incredibly worried about what Sarah was going to do to him. She had had two days to think something up after all.

He began to shift nervously when she didn't speak and just continued to stare at him.

"You're like a new breed of stupid." Sarah finally said before reaching over and pulling him into a hug. It was a bit awkward because neither Sarah nor Mark were hugging people and she had a bulky cast and a back pack on. But nevertheless Mark wrapped his arm around her and felt a huge relief. At least one sibling could stand to be near him. Sarah pulled away from him just as he was thinking this. "You do it again and I will-" Sarah was cut off as Mark rolled his eyes.

"Kill me, yea I know." Mark said as he stepped back.

Sarah smiled twistedly. "No. But trust me, when I'm done with you, you'd wish you were dead."

Mark gulped, for the first time in a while he felt truly afraid.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Nigel kicked his feet back and forth as he waited for Caroline. He was in the hospitals main waiting room while he waited for both Caroline and his family.

Finally he saw her. She was on crutches, her left leg still wrapped up in its cast. But she was smiling. Nigel got up and walked to her. Her parents had stopped to talk to Kate who had just come down the hall with Sarah and Mark in tow. Nigel looked at Caroline nervously before putting his hands in his pockets and looking down at the floor.

"Thank you for coming to visit me so much." Caroline said softly.

Nigel looked at her and gave a forced smile. "Your welcome."

Caroline paused for only a second before leaning over and pecking his lips quickly. "It meant a lot to me." She assured him as her parents came back to take her home.

Nigel brought a hand to his lips, staring after her in shock.

"Come on lover boy. I wanna go home." Sarah said placing a hand on his shoulder.

Nigel followed his family outside a huge smile gracing his lips.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tom had given his kids strict instructions to come straight home after school. They were not to go to friend's houses, stay to talk to teachers, or even stop to put their books in their lockers. They were to walk out the doors and come straight home.

As Mike, the last one to arrive, came in he was surprised to see his older sister sitting on the couch with Sarah drawing on her cast. "Loraine!" he cried happily rushing to her. She smiled and capped the pen, opening her arms for him to leap into. Her and Mike were not especially close, it was just always nice to see the siblings that lived away from home.

"Hey Mike!" Loraine said as he climbed off her lap. "Geez you got tall." She said looking him up and down. Mike beamed.

"Naw, you're just short." He said, jumping out of the way as she threw the marker at him.

"Everyone in the living room!" Tom cried up the stairs as he walked in. Mike quickly sat down next to Sarah.

The front door opened as everyone was coming downstairs. Nora and Bud entered, the twins held in their arms and Tom holding onto Nora's skirt.

There were cries of surprise and joy as everyone rushed to hug their oldest sibling and her family. During the commotion the door opened once more and Charlie slipped in., Elizabeth's hand held firmly in his own.

"Try not to let your fear show." He whispered in her ear. She took in the mess of kids before her and smiled.

"How do you keep track of them all?" she asked laughing.

"We don't! We just let them run amok." Kate said appearing by Charlie's side. He wrapped her in a tight hug as Tom came over and clapped him on the back. His siblings were beginning to notice him too and wrapped him in hugs.

Once he was detangled from most of them Kate grabbed his hand. "Honey can we talk to you for a second?" Charlie nodded, grabbing Elizabeth's hand again as he followed Tom and Kate into the next room.

"Honey this is probably going to be pretty intense." Kate said slowly, hoping Charlie would get the message without her actually having to say it.

"We've been through intense things before mom." Charlie said comfortingly.

"No she means." Tom sighed, taking over. "Maybe this wasn't the best time to bring your new girlfriend." He said as nicely as he could.

Charlie and Elizabeth exchanged a look, not one of hurt or offended ness but one of surprisingly, amusement.

Tom and Kate exchanged a confused look of their own as Charlie spoke. "Can we go back into the living room? I only want to announce this once." With that he turned and led his parents and wife back into the living room. His siblings seemed to have calmed down a little; their parents had not informed them that the oldest were coming to visit. They were excited, it was like a family reunion and it wasn't even a holiday!

Sarah, Mike, Jake and Henry all sat crammed onto one couch. Nora and Bud sat on another, Nora and Bud each having one of their twins in their lap. Nigel and Kyle sat on the floor by Henry's feet and Tom played with Gunner in front of them. Mark, Loraine and Jessica sat on the last couch and Kim had claimed the one arm chair by the window. Tom and Kate took the remaining seats next to Nora and Bud, and Kate took Judith into her lap.

Charlie stood in the middle of the room pulling Elizabeth, who looked nervous, into the center with him. "Everyone I would like you to meet Elizabeth." Elizabeth offered a half wave as everyone chorused out 'hellos' and 'nice to meet you's' Charlie continued on over everyone's voices. "She's my wife."

Everyone stopped talking. Kim raised her eyebrows, Sarah and Jake exchanged a shocked/amused glance and Henry's mouth literally fell open. Kate blinked.

"Sorry, what?" she asked, thinking she had misheard.

"We eloped two days ago." Elizabeth said her voice only slightly shaky.

"But, uh, when did you guys meet?" Tom asked confused. Last he heard a month ago his son was dating Anne Murtaugh.

Charlie blushed and looked out the window. "Two weeks ago." He said in a sort of cough.

"What?" the uproar was instantaneous. His siblings were calling him stupid and crazy and his parents were going on about irresponsibility.

"Wait wait wait!" Tom cried, holding up his hands and standing. "This isn't a shotgun wedding is it?" Kate looked horrified at her son and Nora bit back a laugh at Charlie's expression.

"What no?" he cried looking at his parents in surprise. "It's just, I love her. And I've never felt this way about anyone before." He looked down at Elizabeth who blushed. "And I know it seems crazy to get married when we've known each other for such a short time but now that I've met her, I can't imagine being without her." Loraine sighed at the romantic ness of it all. Nigel and Kyle looked like they wanted to puke.

"I just can't stand being away from her, it's like she's the sun to me." Charlie went on staring at his bride. He looked back at his parents. "Trust me; this is so much more real then a shot gun wedding."

Elizabeth bit her lip and looked up at him, placing her hand on her stomach. "Is now a bad time to mention?" she cut herself off when she saw Charlie's horrified expression. "I'm kidding!" she cried and he pulled her to her tightly.

"So not funny." He mock growled looking down at her and kissing the top of her head.

"Oh she'll fit right in." Nora said grinning.

Charlie quickly pointed out each of his siblings to Elizabeth before squeezing onto the couch between Jessica and Loraine, pulling Elizabeth down onto his lap.

His parents were about to object but realized the only other seating would be on the floor so they let it slide.

Tom stood up to conduct his big family meeting. "Alright does anyone else have anything they need to get off their chests?" he asked, turning in a circle to look at everyone.

Kim looked down at her hands, Henry and Jake shared a look, and Jessica began to chew on her nails.

No one spoke.

Tom sighed and ran his hands through his gray hair. "You guys." He said in a stressed tone. "I know our family has problems right now. Big problems. But how can we be expected to fix them if no one is willing to admit what's going on with them?" He looked at his kids again and sighed when he saw no improvement had been made. No one looked willing to be next to talk.

"I'm gay." Henry blurted out when the silence became too much for him to handle. There was silence as this bit of information was digested. Jake patted Henry on the shoulder, proud of his older brother for being brave enough to come out so soon.

"All the best ones are." Loraine said, shaking her head with a grin. The shock of their brother's confession began to wear off slowly.

"Wait, are you dating that tall kid?" Jessica asked as a realization dawned on her. "The one with the big green eyes."

Henry blushed and looked at his hands. "Not technically." He mumbled.

Nora smiled at her younger brother. "Well he'd be a fool to turn you down."

Henry blanched. "Please, let's not talk about this." He said as his face twisted into a grimace.

"It's a part of your life Henry. We have to talk about it." Charlie said, looking across at his brother. Henry was both surprised and deeply relieved to see his eyes free of disgust. He cast a quick look around at his family. He saw nothing but acceptance.

He chanced a look at his parents. His mother had tears in her eyes.

"Mom." Henry chocked out.

She laughed. "Oh honey I'm not crying because your gay. I'm crying because I'm so happy you told us."

Henry swallowed looking up at his father who was still standing, a look of disbelief on his face. His father shook his head and gave a forced smile at his son. "Well with twelve of you, it makes sense that one of you would be." He squeezed Henry's shoulder to show that he didn't mean that in a wrong way.

Henry sighed and leaned back into the couch, a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. There was a bit of silence as everyone took in this information.

Tom clapped his hands together. "Anyone else?" he asked looking around.

"I have cancer." Nora spoke up, holding Bud's hand tightly. Her family looked towards her in shock. "I had the tumor removed yesterday. They won't be sure if it worked for another week."

"What?" Mike asked, shocked.

"Yesterday? Are you okay?" Kate asked staring at her oldest child in shock and worry.

Nora nodded bravely. "It doesn't hurt too much. I just have to be careful."

"Of course the Valiums help." Bud said trying to lighten the mood.

"Hmm valiums." Mark muttered under his breath. Jessica shot him a worried look.

After discussing the technicalities of Nora's cancer and surgery Tom turned back to face the room as a whole. "Well?" he asked waving his hands to include all his children. They knew what he wanted to hear.

"A boy at my school is being abused." Kyle spoke up, refusing to look anywhere but at Gunner, who was rolling on the floor with a giggling toddler Tom.

"What?" Kate asked in shock, standing up. "Who?"

Kyle was silent for a minute. "The boy who broke my nose." He muttered under his breath.

"I knew it." Kate whispered kneeling on the floor and pulling her youngest son to her tightly.

"What's his name sweetie? Tell me his name and I'll go call child services."

"Clerk Rowds." Kyle muttered into his mother's blouse. She gave him one last squeeze before heading to the phone.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

About ten minutes later Kate walked back in. "That wasn't the first time they've gotten a call about one of the Rowds kids getting abused. The police are heading to their house now." She explained as she sat back down.

Kyle kept staring at the floor.

"You did the right thing." Kim said, surprising everyone that she was actually speaking in a family meeting. She had been known for her silence at these.

Kyle looked up and met her eyes. "Did I?"

Kim said nothing and turned to resume staring out the window.

Tom ran his hands through his hair again, a sign of stress. "Well whose next?" he asked looking around. He was beginning to wonder if he was equipt to handle this.

Loraine sighed and rolled her eyes. "I tried to get a gay guy to fall in love with me." She said with a shrug.

"That's a hard feat." Henry said smiling at her.

"Yea, didn't exactly work." Loraine said smiling at him.

"Then he's stupid because you are beautiful." Sarah said crossing her arms over her chest and unable to stop herself from looking down at what Loraine had sighed, _'Only you could make this cast look good, Butch!'_, in her curvy girly writing.

"He's not stupid." Jake said from Henry's other side. Loraine looked at him, hurt. "He's gay." He joked.

Loraine just kept looking at him, Jake winced. "Too soon?" he asked. Loraine shook her head and gave a slight chuckle.

"Too soon." She agreed.

Before Tom could ask another of his kids to confess to some secret they were hiding Sarah spoke.

"I have a boyfriend." She said, giving a no big deal shrug.

Loraine squealed. "Oh my gosh! You have to introduce me before I leave!" she gushed.

Sarah grinned at her. "Alright but hands off." She said in a joking tone.

"That James guy?" Mike asked. When Sarah nodded he swore very softly under his breath and passed Jake a five dollar bill.

Sarah gasped as Jake pocketed it with a grin. "You bet on me?" she gasped, caught between anger and humor.

Jake grinned guiltily.

"Sarah that's wonderful." Kate said smiling in joy. Finally something good to talk about!

"If he hurts you I'll kill him." Charlie chimed in, his arms tight around Elizabeth's waist. There was quite a long chorus of 'me too!'.

Sarah blushed and looked down at her cast again, this time seeking out James's signature, _'You are indestructible, James'_.

"Good for you Sarah. We're going to have a talk about the dating rules later." Tom said to her warningly, and she blanched. "Were half way done. Whose next!" Tom cried out in fake cheer, like this was something fun.

"Caroline kissed me." Nigel said blushing.

His brother's hooted and his sister's began to 'aw', well expect Sarah.

"Yes! I am still the reigning champion!" Charlie said, pumping his fist in the air.

"Of what?" Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"I got my first kiss when I was seven, I beat all eleven of them." Charlie said with a grin as his siblings booed at him, telling him that he couldn't prove it.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at him. "I go my first kiss when I was six." She said.

As his siblings began to laugh and jeer at him Charlie smiled and pull her down to kiss her softly.

"Oh she's a keeper." Kate said to Tom.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It took a while for everyone to calm down. It felt good to be on easy territory, to not have to worry about something. The things people were saying now were easy to deal with. Everyone was in a slightly joyful mood, relaxed when Tom brought up the subject again.

"Sorry, I know you're all having fun right now, but none of you can leave until all of you have told us what's going on." Tom said, perching on the arm of the couch next to his wife.

The siblings exchanged looks. They were having fun yes, and they loved all being in the same room and catching up but they wanted some one on one time with the siblings that they didn't see often.

The ones that had already spoken (Henry, Kyle, Nora, Nigel, Sarah, Charlie and Loraine) looked around at their other siblings. Henry nudged Jake sharply in the ribs. Jake only glared back at him. Tom, witnessing this, was about to question on it when someone spoke and knocked the thought from his mind.

"Claudia's a bitch." Jessica blurted from in between Charlie and Mark. Everyone kind of looked at her shocked at her language but she wasn't done talking. "She's the worst friend I've ever had and she always wanted me to do things I wasn't comfortable with and she's really an awful person and I am so sorry for the way I've been acting." Jessica rushed out all in one breath.

"Finally she sees the light!" Sarah said with a joyous cry as Kate breathed a sigh of relief.

"No more pink?" Mike asked hopefully.

Jessica grinned. "No more pink, it clashes with my hair." She said smiling, holding up a lock of her red hair to the light.

Jessica knew she wasn't being completely honest with her family but she also knew that there was no way they would all just over look her losing her virginity to Dean and thinking she was pregnant. Plus after what he said to her she didn't want any of her family members to end up in jail for killing him. No this was something best kept to herself or shared only with close siblings. Ideally this would have been Kim but Jessica had a feeling Sarah or Mark would have to do.

Everyone was silent as they all waited for the next person to be brave enough to speak. People kept looking at Mark but he remained obstinately staring out the doorway at the stairs as if desperately wishing he could escape to his room. Of course he knew that he would have to speak soon but three of his siblings had yet to say anything either so he remained stubbornly quite.

Jake kept shooting looks at the clock. He had to be at the auditorium within the hour to get ready for their first performance. He began twitching his leg nervously hoping his other three siblings would hurry up and begin talking.

Mike shot a look at his older brother, who looked incredibly anxious and decided to go before him and take some ease off him. And hopefully make his leg stop shaking, it was bouncing the whole couch.

"I got an A on my English paper." He said with a modest smile.

"Oh that's great!" Kate cried as everyone else said similar things. They all knew how much he was struggling in school and how every good grade was a step towards moving on next year.

"Can we read it?" Bud asked. He had been mostly silent so far. Even after being with Nora for four years he still sometimes felt like an intruder in the Baker house.

While everyone else edged Mike on about letting them read his paper and he went upstairs to get it Mark began to bit his nails. Only two siblings left. He could tell Jake was just as nervous as he was, maybe more. Which made no sense to Mark. Mark had to talk about how he did drugs what did Jake have to worry about? Kim sat staring out the window indifferently, like she didn't have anything important to talk about.

Mike returned with his paper. He stood nervously in the door way, two pieces of loose leaf notebook paper clutched in his hands.

"Read it!" Nigel urged him from where he sat on the floor.

Mike took a deep breath and began. "Its called _Come What May."_ He drew another deep breath and cast a quick look at his family, all watching him intently.

He looked back at his paper and began to recite his essay. _"Your family are the people involved in your life that you don't get to choose. The people that you have no say in. The people that are there for you, whether you like it or not."_ Mike cast a quick glance up at the room. His family seemed happy to hear this, they were happy to hear what Mike thought of their family. _They won't be for long_. Mike thought grimly.

"_They're the people that wait up for you at night, not because you want them to but because they want to make sure you get home safe. They're the people that love you and the people that care for you. Although sometimes its not because they want to, but because they have too."_

A few of his siblings actually chuckled.

"_Your family are the people that are always willing to fight for you, even when most of the time they fight with you. They are the people who support you and are there for you without question. They get the front row at weddings, and at funerals because they were the people that were with you from day one."_

He saw his parents grasp hands and smile at each other. Mike took a deep breath before continuing on.

"_You can't get rid of them, even though most of the time you want too. They are the people that are always there for you, no matter what happens."_

Sarah rested her head on Jake's shoulder. Mike chanced one last look at his family while they were still happy to hear this.

"_Lately my family, has been getting a taste of the 'no matter what's'."_

Mike took a deep breath before plowing on unrelentlessly.

"_My brother is still my brother, no matter what drugs he takes."_

Mark blushed and stared at the ground.

"_My sister is still my sister, even though she won't talk to anyone in this house."_

Kim shot a look at Mike, sure he was talking about her.

"_My parents are still my parents, even though they seem to overlook the fact that their kids are hiding things."_

Tom and Kate visibly flinched.

"_My siblings are still my siblings, no matter what secrets they keep from me."_

Almost all of his family was blushing or looking at the floor now. Only Kim still stared resolutely at her younger brother.

"_No matter what happens, we will pull though. The Baker family will persevere because when the 'no matter what's' hits you, that's all you can do. We are a family and we will stick together, though thick and through thin. For better or for worse. Because that's just what a family does."_

Mike let his hands fall to his sides as he stared at the floor embarrassed. He hadn't really wanted his family to ever hear this.

"That was very good Mike." Kate said smiling.

At almost the exact same time Mark spoke. "Four bags of coke, thirteen E pills, thirty-six Valiums, twenty-four Somas, forty oxy-cotine, six bottles of Jack, fourteen bottles of Vodka, seventy-four beers, fifty-six cigarettes, and a countess amount of weed." He said still staring out the room at the stairs. He looked up and met his family's eyes. "That is the number of substances I have abused in the last three years."

No one really knew what to say to that. They had only known Mark was doing drugs in the last month. And even then it was mostly speculation. The pause was growing awkwardly long, someone needed to speak before it became too much. Already Mark was looking towards the door debating on how to escape.

"You have a good memory for numbers." Kim said seriously. Mark looked at her and she gave a grimace of a smile. Suddenly Mark began to laugh, not the crazy laughs he did when he was on drugs, but real honest laughter. He finally calmed down and shot her an appreciative smile.

He dared a look at his parents. Wrong move. One look at their disappointed faces and all traces of laughter slid from his face.

"Why?" was all Kate could ask before the tears started to fall.

Mark swallowed and looked down at his hands. He knew that they could never understand but he had to try right? He had to at least give them something to try to understand.

"I've never fit in anywhere. No matter what I did I was alone. But if I had these substances I could turn to, it was like having a friend. I could always count on them to be there for me." Mark paused and swallowed, looking up to meet his mother's eyes. "But I guess most friends don't land you in the hospital."

Kim drew a sharp intake of breath. His words hit her like a ton of bricks. It was exactly how she felt, only not with substances but with pain.

Into the still silence of the room Kim spoke, "I know exactly what you mean Mark." She whispered. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to block out her families faces as she stood up and pushed the sleeves of her shirt up.

There were gasps and even a small shriek that Kim could only hope wasn't uttered by one of her brothers. She could only imagine how her arms must look to them. These people who would not see pain as a release. Her numerous burns and half healed scars. And of course the twenty-six (she had counted) fresh cuts from the day before.

Kim just stood there with her eyes closed as her family freaked out around her. Since her eyes were closed the slap across her face surprised her more then it hurt.

Her eyes snapped open and she met the furious eyes of her twin with a bewildered gaze. Jessica stood before her, and even though she was shorter then Kim her anger made it feel like she was towering over her. Jessica glared at her before grabbing her arms and pulling Kim into a tight hug.

"Don't you ever do this again, Kim, or I swear I will have you locked up." Jessica whispered into her ear. Kim only blinked and wrapped her arms around her twin's waist holding onto her like a life line while her family fell to pieces around her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It took almost twenty minutes for everyone to get calmed down. Kate, once she was able to gain control over her tears (Kim and Mark felt horrible for driving her to tears in front of her kids, something that had never happened before) made Kim and Mark swear to take consoling.

Elizabeth examined Kim's arms, she was a vet and the sight of the scars didn't seem to faze her for which Kim was very grateful, and said that a few of them could use stitches but if Kim went to the hospital the nurses might want to enlist her into a mental ward.

"Maybe that'd be for the best." Tom said, his head in his hands.

"What, Dad no!" Jessica cried. Her and Kim were sitting side by side on the couch, Mark on Jessica's other side. "You can't take her away from the family right now! She needs us." she pleaded.

Tom sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Well than what should we do?" he asked, his voice breaking on the end of his sentence.

Kim sat in silence, both embarrassed and ashamed. But she was also angry that no one had seemed to notice her until she showed her scars.

"Why would you want to do this?" Sarah asked her, meeting her eyes from across the room.

Kim looked at each of her family members in turn. "Its like Mark said, it's a friend you know you can always turn on." She spoke unapologetically. _She would not apologize for her scars, not now and not ever_, she vowed silently to herself.

"We have to get you help." Kate said, kneeling before her daughter. "And you too Mark." She said as she grabbed both their hands. "We'll get through this together. We are all here for you." Kate said soothingly.

Kim's temper flared. "Yeah now that you know something's wrong! Where were you months ago when I first cut myself! Where were you yesterday when I tried to kill myself at the hospital?" she blurt out before closing her eyes in horror. She hadn't meant to tell them that part.

"Where were you when I needed help?" she whispered as tears snaked their way past her clothed lids. "I needed my family." She opened her eyes and glared at them accusingly. "Where were you?" her only answer was the soft chime of the clock as it hit the hour.

"We're here now." Jake said as he stood up. He opened his mouth as if to say something else but then just shook his head. Henry looked at him accusingly. Jake glared at him and whispered. "This is hardly the time to tell them!" with that he turned to leave the room, stepping out of the way as his father made to grab his sleeve.

He stopped in the doorway and turned back.

"There's something I have to do. But here." Jake fished an envelope from his pants pocket and handed them to Kyle, the sibling standing closest to him. Jake cast one last look at his frayed family before turning and walking out the front door. His foot steps pounded on the pavement as he begun to run through a light drizzle to the school, not daring to look back.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Somebody go after him." Tom said dejectedly at the same time Nora asked, "What was that about?"

Henry answered both their questions. "We can't go after him dad; he has an obligation to uphold. He has to go get ready for the musical."

Tom looked up confused. "Musical?"

"What, the school musical?" Sarah asked in surprise.

Henry nodded. "He was too shy to tell you guys and after Kim's announcement." He paused to swallow as he looked at his sister, "I don't think he wanted to bring on anymore news."

As everyone was thinking this over Kyle opened the envelope Jake had handed him.

"Its tickets." He said looking up at his family. "For the show." He explained.

"How many are there?" Kate asked, wiping stray tears from her face.

Nigel quickly counted them twice. "Thirteen." He said putting them back inside their envelope.

Tom and Kate exchanged a brief look.

"Kim do you think you can wait until after the show to have your arm stitched up?" Kate asked looking at her daughter. Kim nodded, she had dealt with these cuts all day a few more hours wouldn't kill her. "You think she'll be alright Elizabeth?" Kate turned towards the newest member of her family who nodded.

"She'll be fine. They don't look infected but I suggest getting them stitched up tonight." Elizabeth said as she rubbed Charlie's back. He, like all of them, was very upset with the turn the day had taken.

"Well let's go then." Kate said standing up.

"But mom there's only thirteen tickets." Nora said standing up and placing a sleeping Henrietta in Bud's arms. "What about Bud and the kids? And Elizabeth." She added at the last second.

"Don't worry about us. We'll stay and watch the kids." Elizabeth said stepping over to take Judith from Loraine's arms. "This is something for just the Bakers anyway."

As everyone began the hunt for coats and shoes Charlie leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You are a Baker." He whispered as he walked out of the room.

Elizabeth sunk down onto the couch, overwhelmed.

"Is it always this crazy?" she asked Bud in wonder.

He paused to think about it. "Pretty much, yea."

AN- Woot! Final chapter! Just the epilogue now. No idea if there will be a sequel but I'm still thinking. Maybe I'll just follow a few of the characters that people really liked but its doubtful I'll ever do all twelve again. Its just to big of a number. REVIEW

Oh and what James wrote on Sarah's cast is a quote from the book _13 Days to Midnight_ by Patrick Carmen.

Now who wants to make this be my first story to ever reach 100 reviews!


	18. Epilouge

Epilogue

The Bakers sat in the crowded auditorium. They took up nearly a full row by themselves. They sat twitching their fingers or scanning the programs, no one really sure what to say to each other. Then the auditorium lights began to dim.

As the first song of the show begin to be performed Jake watched nervously from off behind the curtain. Selene leaned over and whispered in his ear. "I'm glad you finally told them." As she walked by.

Jake looked after her confused but she simply pointed into the audience. His whole family was there, staring transfixed at the stage. Jake felt both relief that they showed up and more nervous because now he needed to perform even better.

The Bakers watched the musical enraptured in the performance. When Jake finally stepped onstage it took all they had not to break out cheering. It was even harder for them not to cheer after he had sung his first song. Henry smiled, glad to see his brother could sing after all.

Soon the music began to speak to them, as more then just a show. The music was beginning to speak the words that they themselves could not.  
_**I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn**_

Henry sat and stared at the back of a brown head two rows in front of him, Pip. Henry smiled as the boy turned around as if feeling his eyes on him. When he caught Henry's eyes his face broke out into a huge grin.

_**And we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return**_

Twisting his hands together in his lap Kyle began to wonder what was happening with Clerk. The boy had told him not to tell but Kyle just couldn't keep something like that a secret. No matter what anyone said Kyle knew he would always wonder if he had done the right thing._**  
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true But I know I'm who I am today Because I knew you: **_

Charlie smiled as he thought of Elizabeth, they only had to tell her brother before all of their family knew. There was nothing that would stop them from happiness after that._**  
Like a comet pulled from orbit As it passes a sun Like a stream that meets a boulder Halfway through the wood **_

Sarah sat up straight in her seat, the weight of her cast reminding her of both her success at making the hockey team and her failure at staying on it. One thing was for sure though, she would be back with a vengeance next year.

_**Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you I have been changed for good**_

Mark sat with Sarah on one side and Jessica on the other. For once he actually felt like he was part of the Baker family. He was beginning to hope that with their help he could get through this and give up drugs for good.  
_**It well may be That we will never meet again In this lifetime **_

Loraine watched the performance take place in front of her, with no thoughts of Quincy going through her mind. She sat with her family, who by themselves were weak, but together were once again made strong. Loraine could feel their strength pouring into her._**  
So let me say before we part so much of me is made of what I learned from you you'll be with me Like a handprint on my heart**_

Jake peeked out at the audience from around the curtain. They were all there and they were all paying attention. He could feel all of his worries just fall away at the sight of those thirteen people sitting in the crowded auditorium._**  
And now whatever way our stories end I know you have re-written mine by being my friend:**_

Nigel sat by twin and thought of Caroline. He couldn't wait until he saw her on Monday. It was strange to him that just the thought of her made his heart speed up._**  
Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea **_

Tom and Kate clasped hands in the darkness knowing that they had to be strong for their kids. The next few weeks were bound to be difficult and if they couldn't survive them how could they ever expect their kids too?

_**Like a seed dropped by a sky bird in a distant wood who can say if I've been changed for the better?**_

Mike felt his worries about school lessen. He had aced his paper and his family would help through the rest. He just had to keep trying and he would move on next year. He knew he would succeed because with eleven siblings helping him there was no way that he couldn't._**  
But because I knew you**_ _**because I knew you I have been changed for good**_

In the dark of the auditorium Nora placed a hand to her stomach. There was no whirlwind. There hadn't been yet. She tried to bite back the hope that her surgery had worked but it didn't help. She knew that there was hope inside her and she would just have to hope and pray that it wouldn't get crushed.  
_**And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blame me for**_

Jessica looked at her twin sister who was finally sitting next to her again. She gave Kim a watery smile which after only a moments hesitation Kim returned._**  
But then, I guess we know there's blame to share and none of it seems to matter anymore**_

Kim reached over and took Jessica's hand in hers, holding on tightly to the one thing that would get her through the tough weeks to come.

_**Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
I do believe I have been changed for the better.  
And because I knew you**_

_**Because I knew you  
Because I knew you  
I have been changed for good.**_

The Bakers knew that they would never be that perfect family; they also knew that they would never try to be. But they would be there for each other now, the way a family should.

Though thick and through thin.

For better or for worse.

Because that's just what the Baker family does.

AN- Its finished! Done! Completed! WOO! I've never completed a story before so this is a super big deal for me. Oh all bold words are lyrics from 'For Good' in _Wicked!_ Which sadly I do not own. So whether you hated this story, loved it, or just read it because there was nothing else to do, do me a favor and REVIEW!

And I am doing a sequel following a few of the characters. If there's any character you really want me to follow let me know! Everyone will be mentioned a little bit but they won't all have their own storyline like in this story.

So far I have no idea what it will be about, maybe I'll set it a year later or something. If you have any suggestions or ideas let me know by review or private message. The characters most likely to be followed will be: Mark, Jake, Sarah, Kim, Jessica, Henry and probably Mike. So over half of them. If there's anyone you really want featured or anything at all that you have to suggest(ideas for character plots or your mothers peach cobbler recipe) just let me know!


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